Experienced Barcelona midfielder could return to action vs Espanyol | OneFootball

Following a hard-fought win on Saturday, Barcelona are set to take on Atletico Madrid once again this midweek, in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarterfinals.

This promises to be another gruelling game for the Catalans, who are already expecting ninety minutes of battle with Atleti players at Camp Nou.

To make things worse, the mood in the Barcelona camp was soured following the injury of Marc Bernal, who has been ruled out of the clash.

Frenkie de Jong to return soon

But on a rare positive for Barcelona, it appears Frenkie de Jong is finally closing in on his return to the pitch after nursing a fresh injury.

According to Catalunya Radio (h/t FCB World), the Dutchman has been definitively ruled out of the first leg clash against Atletico Madrid in the Champions League.

However, the midfielder might make it in time to feature in the Catalonia derby against Espanyol over the weekend.

de Jong’s return is just around the corner. (Photo by Angel Martinez/Getty Images)

This could serve as a major boost for coach Hansi Flick, who is currently running thin on options in the middle of the park.

As mentioned earlier, Bernal has been ruled out with a fresh injury, whereas Gavi, despite returning to the pitch, is not yet fully fit.

The return of de Jong, therefore, could greatly improve Barcelona heading into the final phase of the campaign.

Moreover, de Jong’s apparent return vs Espanyol suggests he could be available for the second leg tie against Atletico Madrid as well, even if he does not feature prominently against the Catalan outfit on the weekend.

The report does confirm that the Dutchman will rejoin team training tomorrow, but it will be far too early for him to be included in the squad to face Atletico Madrid.