Barcelona have been rocked by a significant injury blow after confirming that Frenkie de Jong has sustained a tear of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee.
“They Told Me It Was Minor”: De Jong Fumes at Dutch Team Doctors After Devastating Knee Diagnosis
The Dutch midfielder now faces five to six months on the sidelines, and he believes the situation could have been prevented.
According to journalist Victor Nahe on COPE, De Jong has pointed the finger at the Netherlands national team’s medical staff following their handling of the issue during the FIFA World Cup.
🔵🔴 @victor_nahe te cuenta la última hora de Frenkie De Jong
❌ “No tiene nada que ver con el caso Ter Stegen del verano pasado”
😠 “Él culpa a los médicos de la selección holandesa”
📻 #PartidazoCOPE pic.twitter.com/umL4uuAwEy
— El Partidazo de COPE (@partidazocope) July 23, 2026
The 29-year-old claims he was assured that the problem was only minor, prompting him to continue playing through persistent discomfort throughout the tournament.
Trusting that initial assessment, De Jong kept featuring for his country despite experiencing ongoing pain.
However, upon returning to Spain and undergoing comprehensive medical examinations at Barcelona’s Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper, the true severity of the damage became alarmingly clear. The injury proved considerably worse than first believed.
Barcelona’s official medical statement confirmed that the midfielder will begin conservative treatment in the coming weeks while specialists monitor his recovery closely.
Surgery remains a possibility but will depend entirely on how his knee responds during the rehabilitation phase.
This devastating setback will likely rule De Jong out for the entire first half of the 2026/27 campaign, delivering a significant blow to Hansi Flick’s plans.
The German coach had earmarked the former Ajax star as a central figure in his tactical setup for the new season.
The sequence of events has left De Jong deeply frustrated with how the national team’s medical staff managed his condition during the World Cup.
The midfielder now faces a lengthy recovery period, and questions are mounting over the decision-making process that allowed him to continue playing when the injury may have required more immediate attention.
Barcelona must now navigate the opening months of the season without one of their most influential performers, while the Netherlands’ medical protocols face increasing scrutiny in the wake of this damaging controversy.
