Frenkie de Jong nears Barcelona return ahead of crucial derby and European tie
Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong is set to return to the squad for Saturday's Catalan derby against Espanyol after six weeks out with injury. According to manager Hansi Flick, the Dutch international will be named on the bench as the league leaders balance a crucial La Liga match with their upcoming Champions League quarter-final second leg against Atletico Madrid.
The potential return of de Jong provides a significant boost to a Barcelona squad managing a congested fixture list. Flick is predicted to make as many as six changes to his starting lineup for the derby, with key figures like Pedri expected to be rested entirely. Spanish outlets Sport and Mundo Deportivo report that Ronald Araujo, Alejandro Balde, Fermin Lopez, Gavi, and Ferran Torres are all in line to start, with rotations designed to keep players fresh for Tuesday's European decider.
De Jong's last appearance came in late February, with his absence felt in Barcelona's midfield control during several tight matches. His return, even from the bench, offers Flick a proven orchestrator for the final stages of the season as the club pursues a domestic and European double. The club confirmed that Marc Bernal, Raphinha, and Andreas Christensen will not feature, with Bernal watching from the stands alongside the injured duo.
The derby presents Barcelona with an opportunity to move nine points clear at the top of La Liga, a potentially decisive step in the title race. Their opponents, Espanyol, arrive at Camp Nou without a win in 2026, a run spanning 13 matches across all competitions. Despite their poor form, Manolo Gonzalez's side sit tenth, with a nine-point buffer to the relegation zone and motivation to secure survival with a positive result against their historic rivals.
Espanyol will be without suspended defender Clemens Riedel and injured captain Javi Puado. Their attack is expected to be led by Roberto Fernandez, supported by the pace of Tyrhys Dolan and either Cyril Ngonge or Jofre Carreras on the wings. The midfield delivery of Edu Exposito and Carlos Romero will be crucial to their chances of exploiting a potentially unfamiliar Barcelona defensive setup.
For Barcelona, the derby is a delicate balancing act. A victory edges them closer to the league title, but any injury or fatigue carried into the Atletico Madrid match could prove costly. The predicted rotations see Pau Cubarsi starting again despite his suspension for the European second leg, while the involvement of Lamine Yamal and Marcus Rashford remains a point of contention between different media predictions. The match kicks off at 18:30 CEST on Saturday, with Barcelona aiming to extend their six-game winning streak in the league.
