Barcelona have started the season strong, with the team winning all but one of their games. The team has also seen some exciting transfer intakes such Joao Felix, Joao Cancelo, Ilkay Gundogan and Oriol Romeu, all of whom have fitted into the team perfectly.
Manager Xavi Hernandez has also got the team playing the way he wants, and they are dominating most games. One player, however, has been undeniably vital to Xavi’s system without whom the team will suffer setbacks and now, in a crucial month, the player has been injured.
Barcelona suffers blow as star midfielder ruled out
That player is none other than Dutch superstar Frenkie De Jong. In the 3-2 comeback victory against Celta Vigo on Saturday, he had gotten injured during the play and was substituted in just the 36th minute. At the moment, his injury wasn’t considered to be too serious, and tests were promptly carried out.
FC Barcelona has now issued an ominous statement regarding his injury on their website. De Jong has injured the ‘tibiofibular syndesmosis in his right ankle’, according to the club’s statement. His recovery could take up to one month, which will see him miss many key fixtures in that period. De Jong could miss the coming El Clasico against Real Madrid, and crucial Champions League and La Liga games.
The Dutch midfielder had played every minute under Xavi this season until his injury. Frenkie de Jong’s work rate and attacking vision had made him into one of the crucial elements of Xavi’s philosophy and system.
After the full time whistle, Xavi expressed his sadness at losing such a fine player. He said, “It’s a big loss. It’s a tough one because of the way we play and the level he has been at. He’s a key player for us, he has been really good since last season.”
The injury comes at a time when star midfielder Pedri is also unavailable due to an injury. Barcelona’s squad depth will be readily tested in the next days, with only Ilkay Gundogan and Gavi possessing similar profiles to Xavi’s requirements.
Barcelona have moved top of La Liga
Despite the two injuries, Barcelona fans have something to be happy about. The Catalans are currently top of the La Liga table after six games, where they won five of them. They are tied with Girona with the same points but have a better goal difference at the moment. Rivals Real Madrid are third with 15 points, after a devastating 3-1 loss to Atletico Madrid.
A big reason for the team’s success is the addition of two new superstars Joao Felix and Joao Cancelo who have scored some important goals. The revival of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres have also added to their overall dazzle. With a rejuvenated squad, Barcelona have become solid defensively and their midfield is also blessed. Most of all, Xavi has implemented a clear philosophy which was missing in the previous seasons. If they can continue this form, the Catalans could possibly win a second consecutive La Liga title.
Barcelona will play against Mallorca tonight in a bid to maintain their lead at the top of the table.
