De Jong suffers setback as knee pain returns on the pitch

Frenkie de Jong put his boots back on and stepped onto the training pitch to test his right knee under light physical strain. The session did not last long. Pain returned when the midfielder began slowing down and stopping after short runs.

According to Diario Sport, De Jong worked individually on Tuesday under the supervision of Barcelona’s medical staff. The test consisted of controlled running and simple exercises without contact. Even that limited workload proved too demanding for him to move on to the next stage of his recovery.

The Dutchman is still unable to train with the squad. Barcelona have not set a return date or decided when his workload can be increased. His programme will continue to depend on the knee’s daily response, and the latest response was not encouraging.

De Jong tore the medial collateral ligament in his right knee during the World Cup. He initially continued playing after being advised that the injury was not serious and would not become worse. The full extent of the damage was discovered when he returned to Barcelona for further examinations.

The midfielder chose conservative treatment instead of surgery. Barcelona accepted that decision while keeping his recovery under close observation. Tuesday’s setback does not automatically mean that an operation will now be required, but it confirms that a return to full training is not close.

The latest update was published by Goal España, citing Diario Sport. Barcelona have not released a new medical statement. The ligament tear and decision to avoid surgery were previously reported by Reuters and Cadena SER.

De Jong’s absence was one of the reasons Barcelona pushed hard to reinforce their midfield this summer. Rodri has now joined the squad, but the Dutchman’s condition remains both a sporting and financial concern. One of the club’s highest earners still has no return date and cannot yet complete a controlled running session without pain.

The test was supposed to represent a small step towards rejoining the team. It ended at the first serious braking point. Barcelona are back to waiting and hoping that the decision to avoid surgery eventually produces the expected result.