Barcelona’s midfield woes deepen as Frenkie de Jong and Marc Casado face suspension for the crucial Chelsea clash if booked against Club Brugge.
FC Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick faces a significant selection headache as two crucial midfield players, Frenkie de Jong and Marc Casado, are just one booking away from a Champions League suspension.
This situation has been described as a major boost for Chelsea ahead of their decisive group stage clash at Stamford Bridge later this month.
According to reporting from Sempre Barca, both De Jong and Casado must “tread carefully” in the upcoming Champions League fixture against Club Brugge.
A yellow card for either player in Belgium would rule them out of the highly anticipated match against Enzo Maresca’s side in London.
The suspension threat comes at a particularly sensitive time for the Catalan club, who are already grappling with a “torrid run of injuries” since the start of the 2025–26 season.
Spanish midfielder Pedri is currently sidelined and expected to miss at least a month of action.
With Marc Bernal still being gradually reintroduced following a long knee injury, De Jong and Casado are currently the only fully fit pivot options available to Flick. Losing either would leave Barcelona “dangerously short of midfield options” for the trip to London.
De Jong’s presence is considered vital, as his ability to dictate tempo and control transitions makes him indispensable. His potential absence would “hand Enzo Maresca’s side a significant advantage.”
Flick is therefore expected to urge both players to maintain discipline against Brugge and avoid unnecessary risks, potentially by resting one of them if Bernal is deemed fit enough to start.