Barcelona Captain De Jong Out One Month With Hamstring Injury

The Dutch international sustained the injury during training as Barcelona prepared for their La Liga clash against Villarreal. Initial tests suggest a possible muscle tear that could sideline De Jong for four weeks, ruling him out of crucial matches including the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid and the Champions Round of 16 tie.

The injury comes at a challenging time for Hansi Flick, who had just regained a nearly full squad with Pedri's return. De Jong's absence will force the manager to rely on alternatives like Marc Bernal, Marc Casado, or even Eric García to partner Pedri in midfield during the upcoming matches.