Frenkie de Jong: ‘I’ve always given everything for Barcelona’ — midfielder addresses injury and denies rift with Flick

Frenkie de Jong has released a personal statement after Barcelona confirmed the severity of his knee injury. The Dutch midfielder also addressed speculation about tension between him and head coach Hansi Flick. The 29-year-old said he felt compelled to respond after a flood of false reports about his situation. “Dear fans. Normally I don’t pay much attention to what is written about me, the team or the club. But lately there has been a lot of speculation regarding my injury and my situation at Barcelona. It hurts me to see people questioning my relationship with the club and my commitment because of false reports. Football is everything to me and I have always given everything I have for Barcelona and my country. That’s why I want to explain what happened. During the World Cup I suffered a knee injury. Initial examinations told me it was a minor issue that wouldn’t get worse if I kept playing. The only problem was pain, and throughout my career I have played through pain whenever I could help the team — both at club and national team level. During my vacation I returned to Barcelona for further tests. They showed the injury was more serious than first diagnosed. Fortunately, surgery is not necessary and I am now fully focused on recovery and returning to the pitch as soon as possible. Every day I work to be in the best possible shape. I take my profession, my body and my responsibility to the team very seriously. But sometimes things happen that you cannot control — this injury is one of them. Playing for Barcelona and the Netherlands national team is something I am incredibly proud of, and my commitment to both teams will never change. I will continue to give everything for this badge, for my teammates and for our fans. There are still many moments ahead that we can create together, and many goals we want to achieve. Thank you for all your support. I can’t wait to be back,” de Jong wrote on Instagram. Barcelona had previously confirmed that the midfielder suffered a partial tear of the medial collateral ligament in his right knee. The treatment will be non-surgical, and a precise recovery timeline will be determined based on his progress.