Barcelona captain rejects surgery recommendation as club faces anxious injury wait

Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong has decided against undergoing surgery despite receiving that recommendation from the club’s medical staff.

According to Mundo Deportivo, the Dutch midfielder has chosen to continue with conservative treatment following the knee injury he suffered during the FIFA World Cup. 

The decision leaves Hansi Flick and Barcelona facing an anxious wait, with no certainty over when one of the club’s most influential midfielders will be available again.

While the hope remains that rehabilitation will be enough, the coming weeks are expected to determine whether surgery can still be avoided.

Barcelona recommended surgery, but De Jong refuses

It must be remembered that De Jong suffered the injury during a training session with the Netherlands at the World Cup. 

Frenkie de Jong has decided not to undergo surgery yet. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)

Although he was able to feature in three more matches after the setback, further examinations later revealed the full extent of the damage.

The 29-year-old sustained a complete rupture of the medial collateral ligament (MCL) in his right knee, turning what initially appeared to be a manageable issue into a significant concern for Barcelona.

More than three weeks have passed since the Netherlands were eliminated in the Round of 32, but the midfielder’s rehabilitation has not progressed as positively as the club had hoped. 

After reviewing his condition, Barcelona’s medical staff advised De Jong to undergo surgery to provide the strongest long-term solution.

However, the Dutch international has decided to postpone an operation and continue with conservative treatment instead, believing there is still a chance of recovering without going under the knife.

Barcelona waiting for decision as rehabilitation continues

De Jong played the World Cup through a knee injury. (Photo by Molly Darlington/Getty Images)

The next stage of De Jong’s recovery will be decisive, as he is expected to undergo another medical assessment in around three weeks, when doctors will evaluate whether the rehabilitation programme has produced enough progress.

If the knee responds well, the midfielder could continue his recovery without surgery. Should the injury fail to improve as expected, however, an operation is likely to become unavoidable.

That would be a significant setback for Barcelona, with De Jong potentially facing five to six months on the sidelines. 

In that scenario, the Dutchman would not be expected to return until around January 2027, forcing Flick to plan the opening months of the campaign without one of his most experienced midfielders.