Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong sidelined with muscle problem

Barcelona have officially disclosed that Frenkie de Jong has suffered a minor muscle injury. The club released a statement via social media outlining the nature of the problem.

The player was on international duty with the Netherlands when he suffered the injury in the match against Poland and had to withdraw from the squad, missing the Oranjes' World Cup qualifier against Lithuania.

According to the announcement, "The player Frenkie de Jong has suffered a slight injury to the external obturator muscle in his right leg. His recovery will determine his availability."

The Dutch international’s condition will be monitored closely in the coming days. At present, no specific timeline has been provided for his return to training or competition.

This setback comes early in the season, as the injury could keep him out of the starting line-up in the future. The absence of a key midfielder could pose difficulties for the team in upcoming fixtures.