Good news for Barcelona amid a painful night in the Clasico

What is it?

Frenkie de Jong is back. The Netherlands midfielder returned to action for Barcelona after 155 days out, with Hansi Flick sending him on in the 74th minute of a 2-1 La Liga defeat to Real Madrid.

Barcelona fans at the Spotify Camp Nou gave him a warm welcome as he replaced Fermin Lopez. Flick wanted fresh legs in midfield and a goal to edge his side in front, the score locked at 1-1.

The timing was brutal. De Jong walked into an open, frantic contest, with Flick shifting him to the right of midfield alongside Pedri.

Any joy didn't last. Real Madrid struck the winner in the 87th minute, Kylian Mbappe finishing off a counter-attack to deny Barcelona a share of the Clasico spoils.

De Jong had torn the medial collateral ligament in his right knee on 23 July 2026, an injury that cost him months on the sidelines. The one exception was his appearance for the Netherlands at the summer World Cup.

He had already admitted he understood why some Barcelona supporters were unhappy to see him feature for his country while he couldn't play for the club.

Defeat stung, but according to Sport, De Jong's comeback is a genuine boost for Barcelona and Flick. The midfielder is now available again, ready to build his fitness and match sharpness and contribute as the season rolls on.