National team manager issues update on Barcelona midfielder after he missed Atletico clash | OneFootball

Frenkie de Jong was the notable absentee from the Barcelona starting eleven as they locked horns with Atletico Madrid.

The Dutchman was expected to start the game but was left out of the squad at the last minute, with Hansi Flick citing discomfort.

Despite the discomfort, de Jong is still a part of the Netherlands squad which will take on Spain in the UEFA Nations League quarterfinals this international break.

Koeman issues update on de Jong’s fitness

The missed game against Atletico has put question marks on the Dutchman’s fitness and whether or not he can feature against Spain.

But amid speculation, the Netherlands coach Ronald Koeman has issued a clarification on the midfielder’s fitness, confirming that the player simply didn’t feel well ahead of the Atletico Madrid game.

“It wasn’t a fever, he just didn’t feel well. There (in Barcelona) you can also eat something that isn’t right. He has had time to recover and also to catch up on sleep,” he said (h/t Mundo Deportivo).

De Jong could soon be back in orange. (Photo by Dean Mouhtaropoulos/Getty Images)

Koeman’s statement suggests de Jong could be ready for action against Spain and only requires a rest to get back to full fitness.

This is further backed up by the fact that the Barcelona midfielder has yet to pull out of the squad, unlike Denzel Dumfries.

Therefore, it won’t be surprising to see de Jong playing a role for the Oranje as they look to book a place in the Nations League semifinals with a win over Spain.

It must be noted that the two teams will face each other twice in this two-legged quarterfinals, the first of which will be hosted by the Dutch team in Rotterdam.