Barcelona captain substituted in international fixture due to discomfort, confirms manager | OneFootball

The Netherlands and Poland played out a 1-1 on Thursday in Rotterdam, in what was a match of particular interest for FC Barcelona given the presence of Frenkie de Jong and Robert Lewandowski on opposite sides.

The Polish forward, making his return to the national team under new coach Jan Urban, played for a little over an hour and was substituted in the 63rd minute after a rather subdued performance.

As for De Jong, the Dutch midfielder also failed to complete the match, as manager Ronald Koeman replaced him in the 82nd minute with Quinten Timber.

De Jong’s substitution due to physical problem

Speaking to the media after the game, Koeman clarified that the decision to take De Jong off against Poland was a precautionary measure.

Indeed, the former Barcelona manager confirmed that the 28-year-old club captain was dealing with some discomfort in his glutes, which is why he was substituted.

Frenkie de Jong felt some discomfort in his glutes vs Poland. (Photo by Claudio Villa/Getty Images)

“Frenkie warned us that he felt tightness in his glutes, so we didn’t take any risks,” explained Koeman, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo.

Prior to being taken off, De Jong had turned in a solid performance for his national team in midfield, even though they were unable to secure a victory.

The Barcelona midfielder touched the ball 49 times during his time on the field, completed 45 of his 47 passes, at a 96% accuracy rate.

Up next for the Netherlands is an away fixture against Lithuania in another FIFA World Cup qualifier, and it remains to be seen whether De Jong features in the game or if Koeman opts to rest the midfielder.

Meanwhile, apart from De Jong, Barcelona winger Lamine Yamal also suffered an injury scare during Spain’s win over Bulgaria. Thankfully, his back issue is understood to be nothing serious.