Frenkie de Jong made his long-awaited comeback for Barcelona on Tuesday, after being out of action for nearly five months due to an ankle injury.
The Dutch midfielder entered the game in the 75th minute, replacing Lamine Yamal during Barcelona’s 5-0 Champions League victory over Young Boys.
De Jong initially sustained the ankle injury in April during a Spanish league Clasico against Real Madrid, which also caused him to miss the European Championship.
His extended absence sparked criticism in local media, with some questioning the length of his recovery and his salary. De Jong admitted that the media scrutiny, combined with his time away from the game, had been challenging.
“I am really happy with the win and, personally, to be back playing,” De Jong said after the game. “The fans gave me a good reception and I’m grateful for that because you never know how you’ll be received. I didn’t expect it. I’m happy with the way I was welcomed back.
“The team is in good form and has been since the start of the season. We are playing well. We have to keep going now, keep improving and see where it takes us.”
When asked how he saw himself fitting into manager Hansi Flick’s team — an whether he’d be open to a role from the substitutes’ bench — the Netherlands international said he’d play whenever and wherever he was asked.
“It depends on the coach. He picks the team and who plays and I’m going to give everything I can,” De Jong said. “It’s always a tough time when you’re injured. It’s been a hard process and there have been some low moments during it.”
Barcelona had opened their Champions League campaign with a 2-1 loss at Monaco.
Also Tuesday, forward Ansu Fati made his second appearance of the season after replacing Pedri in the 63rd minute. Fati had played a few minutes in Barcelona’s match at Monaco last month.
“It’s a simple reason,” Flick said about the introduction for Fati. “Frenkie wasn’t ready yet, we needed a few more minutes for Frenkie to come out and so we said ok, let’s start with Ansu in that position and then let’s switch him with Frenkie and that’s what we did a little bit later.
“For Frenkie today was an important step, to come back to the team after having suffered such a serious injury, playing some mins today was important for him.
I would have liked to have used him earlier but he came on when he did, he’s come a long way, got some touches, ran a little bit, it was important for him to feel like a football player again, and get that feeling back.”
Ansu Fati rejoined Barcelona this season following a loan spell at Brighton in England last year.
In a commanding victory over Young Boys, Barcelona saw Robert Lewandowski net two goals, while Raphinha and Iñigo Martínez each scored, with Mohamed Camara contributing an own goal to round out the 5-0 win.
“We are a bit more aggressive defensively; we press better; we play compact football; try to look to exploit the spaces, and on top of that, when you win, things are just easier; it’s easier to make these adjustments,” Flick said when asked about his team’s current form. “I think we’re the team with the most offside traps, and for that, we all need to understand the message and our role.”