Barcelona fear Ansu Fati repeat as Frenkie de Jong chooses conservative injury treatment

Barcelona fear Ansu Fati repeat as Frenkie de Jong chooses conservative injury treatment Barcelona confirmed a couple of days ago that captain Frenkie de Jong had suffered a medial collateral ligament tear that would see him spend time on the sidelines. The Dutchman came under criticism after having played the 2026 FIFA World Cup through an injury and had to release a statement to reaffirm his commitment to the club. Barcelona are now hoping Frenkie de Jong’s recovery progresses smoothly after the midfielder opted against immediate surgery on his knee injury. However, according to SPORT , there is growing concern inside the club about what could happen if the initial plan fails. Barcelona fear a familiar scenario The concern is not that De Jong’s injury is similar to Ansu Fati’s. Instead, the comparison comes from the decision-making process. In both situations, Barcelona’s preferred medical approach reportedly differed from the one ultimately chosen by the player. Sidelined for a long period. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) The club’s biggest fear is that if De Jong’s rehabilitation does not progress as expected, surgery could eventually become unavoidable. In that case, his absence could extend well beyond the current expectation, and Barcelona would have lost valuable recovery time. The PTSD from the Ansu Fati situation Back in 2022, Ansu Fati rejected surgical intervention for a second time despite the club believing that it would be the best option. Ansu eventually returned to action, but persistent setbacks prevented him from consistently rediscovering the explosive form that had made him one of La Masia ’s brightest talents. This has understandably left a scar for Barcelona. The last thing the club want is a repeat of the same situation with their captain. Barcelona fear Ansu Fati case with Frenkie de Jong. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images) Barça are also said to be unhappy with the Dutch Football Association and Ronald Koeman after De Jong continued playing at the World Cup despite experiencing discomfort. However, there is little benefit in dwelling on what has already happened. The focus must now be on giving De Jong every possible chance to recover without complications. Conservative treatment is a recognised option for this type of knee injury, and many players return successfully without surgery. That is why Barcelona are hoping history does not repeat itself. While the anxiety is understandable, each medical case is different, and it remains to be seen how Frenkie’s recovery plays out.