It was a perfect evening for Barcelona on Tuesday, while they defeated Young Boys in full form at the Olympic Stadium for their first Champions League win of the season. It was made even better with the return of Frenkie de Jong, who had previously been out of action for 163 days.
74' Frenkie de Jong and Pau Víctor, forward. Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski, off.
— Barcacentre (@barcacentre) October 1, 2024
De Jong played the last 15 minutes against Young Boys, and after his cameo, he spoke to the media (via Sport) about his feelings in making his return to action.
“I am very happy to return to the field and play football. I thank the fans for the welcome, I did not expect it, and I am happy with how people treat me.
“I see the team very well since the beginning of the season. I will give my maximum to play. When you are injured, you always have a bad time – yes, it was long and hard, and sometimes, I had a hard time.”
Barcelona they will be mainly boosted by the return of de Jong, especially since they have so few midfield options due to injuries to Gavi and Marc Bernal. The Dutch pivot aims to continue building his fitness in the coming weeks.