Barcelona captain de Jong out for a month with hamstring injury

Barcelona captain Frenkie de Jong faces an extended spell on the sidelines after sustaining a hamstring injury during training. The Dutch midfielder could miss up to seven matches across all competitions, including the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg against Atletico Madrid and the Champions League Round of 16 tie.

The setback comes at a particularly frustrating time for manager Hansi Flick, who had just welcomed back Pedri from injury. De Jong's absence leaves a significant gap in midfield, with Flick now likely to rely on players like Marc Bernal, Marc Casado, or Eric García to partner Pedri in the coming weeks.