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The manager was hoping his star player would return before the match
Barcelona began their week of preparations for the Champions League quarter-final with some worrying news, as it was confirmed that a key player will miss the upcoming first leg against Atlético Madrid at the Spotify Camp Nou.
According to the Catalan newspaper Sport, although the squad is gradually coming together, the latest training session revealed that Dutchman De Jong continues to train alone, away from the group.
In its report, headlined “Bad news for Flick”, the paper explained that the player, who has been out for over a month with a muscle injury, has not yet received the medical all-clear, leaving the German manager in a real tactical quandary ahead of the European clash.
It reported that the club is absolutely refusing to rush De Jong’s return to avoid any setback that could end his season, especially as La Liga and the European competition have reached their decisive stages.
It explained that the “recovery plan” aims to give De Jong a few minutes in the Catalan derby against Espanyol early next week, so that he is in peak physical condition for the second leg at the Metropolitano.
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