Overview
- The Netherlands announced Saturday that Frenkie de Jong will not play in the upcoming match in Berlin and has rejoined Barcelona because of what they called minor physical problems.
- De Jong had worn the captain’s armband and was substituted at halftime in the 7-0 win over Greece after telling coach Xavi about back discomfort.
- Xavi initially described the issue as very minor and expected De Jong to play, but the coaching staff reconsidered and chose a precautionary withdrawal.
- De Jong had recently returned to international duty after managing a World Cup knee injury with injections, a history that raised the threshold for taking new fitness risks.
- Returning him to Barcelona puts the club in charge of short-term monitoring and removes a key midfield option for the Netherlands against Germany, which could force a last-minute tactical change.