Has Frenkie de Jong impressed Hansi Flick in his first game in 5 months?

In an exceptional display of football from Hansi Flick’s Barcelona side against Young Boys, one of the major talking points was the long-awaited return of Frenkie de Jong to the pitch after 163 days on the sidelines.

De Jong had been sidelined for almost six months due to an ongoing issue with his right ankle, which had kept him out since the Clasico on 21 April. However, last night he finally felt like a footballer again as he made his comeback. 

The Barcelona faithful at the Montjuic Stadium were well aware of the significance of his return, greeting him with a loud ovation as he replaced Lamine Yamal in the 75th minute. 

How did he perform?

Despite playing just 15 minutes, De Jong’s performance was solid. He only misplaced two of his 19 passes, achieving an 89% pass accuracy, and even managed to recover possession once. 

He also contributed to passes in the attacking third, showing signs of sharpness and composure, even though it was his first match in almost five and a half months. 

Frenkie de Jong made his long-awaited comeback against Young Boys. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

The midfielder looked confident and calm on the ball, a promising sign for Barcelona as they battle through a challenging period.

After the match, De Jong expressed his delight at being back on the field. “I’m very happy with the win and, personally, to be back on the pitch and playing football. 

“The fans also applauded me and thank you very much for that. A happy evening,” he said, clearly relieved to have made his return in such positive circumstances.

A welcome boost for Barcelona

De Jong’s return is a major boost for Barcelona, especially considering their current injury struggles. With multiple key players still sidelined, Flick had been forced to use Eric Garcia in the defensive midfield role. 

De Jong’s comeback means the manager now has more options, with the possibility of pairing the Dutchman alongside Pedri and Marc Casado in midfield.

Although it is unlikely Flick will rush De Jong back into the starting lineup immediately, his presence will undoubtedly become crucial for Barcelona as he regains full fitness.