The international break has already caused a few damage. Ousmane Dembélé will for example return to Paris after his injury yesterday against Ukraine, even though he already seemed to be decreased by a discomfort felt last weekend to the other thigh. Désiré Doué imprint the same path, touched for his part in the calf. The two Parisians are not the only victims. At Barça, we deplore the injury of Frenkie de Jong with the Netherlands, visibly affected by the thigh. “Frenkie told us that he felt a tension in the thigh, so we have taken no risk”testified Ronald Koeman his coach.
The midfielder left the rally to go home. He suffered tests confirming that he could not be available for the second Oranje meeting in Lithuania this Sunday (6 p.m.). The Dutchman will now rely on his club's doctors to determine the extent of his injury and know if he can be able to face Valence, in the next Barça match on Sunday, September 14. Obviously, this injury, even a minimal, does not delight Hansi Flick. It could create fragility, or the player can also compensate. A muscle glitch is never to be taken lightly.
Barça is worried about Jong and Yamal
The Catalan technician is all the more worried since the physical setbacks of his players are already accumulating at the start of the season. Alejandro Balde was injured last Wednesday in training and will miss at least three weeks of competition. A return against Real Sociedad on September 28 is hoped for. The staff is worried because the left side has already suffered from this same type of lesion in the same place. Precautions are therefore necessary to avoid a relapse. Same thing for Gavi, already absent against Rayo Vallecano last weekend, and forfeit with La Roja. He continues to feel discomfort in the knee operated a few months ago.
At Barça, we are already afraid of what is called the “FIFA virus”, in other words the players who are injured in their selection. The club has a particularly attentive eye for the situation of Lamine Yamal. Determining against Bulgaria Thursday evening (3-0 3-0 victory in Spain), he left ten minutes from the end after feeling discomfort on the back. No risk will be taken even if the problem does not seem important. The Golden Boy stayed indoors on Friday and his participation in the match against Turkey is not called into question but Barça is on the alert. Knowing his player in a certain discomfort does not reassure him at all.
