A new edition of El Clasico takes place on Matchday 10 of LaLiga, with Barcelona looking to defeat Real Madrid at home. Hansi Flick, who has a talented squad at his disposal, has decided to start the match with Frenkie de Jong on the bench, as the midfielder is coming off a serious injury and the plan is to ease him back into action gradually.
During a recent interview, de Jong himself expressed that he was ready to make his official return: “I had been out for a long time and had only recently returned to team training, so it was completely normal for the coaching staff to assess me properly in training. Now, I think I’ve shown that I’m ready.”
Dani Olmo’s absence could be a headache for Hansi Flick, but having de Jong on the bench gives the manager more options to adjust his strategy. It remains to be seen whether the midfielder will finally return to the pitch after an extended spell on the sidelines.
What happened to Frenkie de Jong?
Frenkie de Jong suffered a severe knee ligament injury in his right knee while playing for the Netherlands during the 2026 FIFA World Cup, specifically during their Round of 32 knockout match against Morocco on June 29, 2026.
Frenkie de Jong #21 of the Netherlands and Achraf Hakimi #2 of Morocco.
After undergoing medical evaluations in Barcelona during the offseason, the injury proved to be a ligament tear, ruling him out for around four months and forcing him to miss the entire pre-season and the opening stretch of the 2026–27 La Liga campaign.
Hansi Flick’s starting XI for El Clasico
With the goal of securing all three points at home against Real Madrid, these are the eleven players who will take the field to defend Barcelona’s colors: Joan Garcia; Xavi Espart, Pau Cubarsi, Gerard Martin, Joao Cancelo; Rodri, Pedri, Fermin Lopez; Lamine Yamal, Raphinha, Anthony Gordon.
Key takeaways
- Frenkie de Jong starts on the bench for Barcelona due to a recent injury.
- Frenkie de Jong suffered a right knee ligament injury on June 29, 2026.
- Hansi Flick selected his starting XI for Barcelona against Real Madrid in El Clasico.
