Barcelona midfielders De Jong and Pedri are both set to be out of action for at least one month. Both players had to be replaced in the first half of the 0-0 draw, with Xavi saying afterward it looked like bad news. Barcelona has now confirmed that both players are sidelined. De Jong has a “lateral ligament sprain” to his ankle, while Pedri has a thigh problem.
What Happened?
Both Pedri and De Jong were forced to leave the pitch in the first half of Barcelona’s goalless draw in their La Liga fixture against Athletic Club on Sunday. The Dutch midfielder awkwardly landed on the ground after an aerial collision with Athletic Club’s Unai Gomez. Pedri shortly followed his team-mate out of the ground after he tweaked his hamstring during a clearance.
De Jong, 26, was taken off on a stretcher after sustaining an ankle injury. He landed awkwardly following an aerial duel. Pedri also had to make way — in tears — after sustaining a muscular injury following an attempted pass.
What Xavi Said
Barcelona boss Xavi expressed his concern over the condition of the midfield duo, as he told reporters after the game, “The injuries to Pedri and Frenkie do not look good.” It is very unfortunate. They look like they will miss several games and could be out for a long time. “These are two very important players for us, and it seems like they will now be out for several matches, perhaps a long time. We have to hope it is less than we fear, but it is a tremendous misfortune for us.”
On Barcelona’s performance and result, Xavi added: “We did not play a good match. It is a missed opportunity. We could have done better”. Regardless, “We have to give him a lot of love and support for him to return,” Xavi added to the midfielder. “We will be by his side. We have to help him come back stronger.”
The Outcome
De Jong will miss the next “four to five weeks” and claims he could return for the clash against Cadiz on April 14.
As for Pedri, it’s thought he does not need surgery on his latest setback. However, the issue is that it’s once again a problem with his right thigh. Pedri has already missed 16 games this season because of thigh problems.
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