FC Barcelona are preparing for their second game in the UEFA Champions League as they face Young Boys at the Montjuic this Tuesday. The Catalans lost their opening game of the competition and thus will be keen to get a win in this match.
One of the good news that Flick had before this game was the situation of Frenkie de Jong, who has been training with the rest of the team for the last few weeks and is expected to get the medical green light for this upcoming game.
As Fabrizio Romano has reported, Hansi Flick addressed the press conference ahead of this game against Young Boys and gave his opinion on Frenkie’s return to fitness.
The German tactician was unsure about how many minutes the Dutchman might be able to play in this upcoming game, but was still happy with his return as he commented: “Frenkie’s return is great news for us, even if it’s just for five or ten minutes.”
Flick has had to resort to a very thin midfield line at the start of the season as he has several key midfielders unavailable. Marc Bernal, Dani Olmo, Gavi, and Fermin Lopez are still recovering from their injuries, while other options like Ilkay Gundogan and Oriol Romeu had left in the last summer transfer window.
Thus, the German trainer believed that Frenkie’s return would be an auspicious occasion for the team and he commented: “It’s a reason of joy for the whole team.”
There is no doubt that Frenkie’s return would be a boost for Barcelona. He might not be at his 100% just yet, as he is only returning from his long-term injury, but as he regains his sharpness, he will be an invaluable tool for Flick going forward and allow for greater rotation in the midfield.