The return timeline for Balde, Koundé, and De Jong

Barcelona are pushing to get key players back fit as they approach the decisive stretch of the season, with both LaLiga and the Champions League on the line. 

At present, Hansi Flick has three players in the final phase of their recovery: Alejandro Balde, Jules Koundé, and Frenkie de Jong. The expectation from both the coaching staff and the club’s medical team is that all three will return after the current international break, with Balde likely to be available first.

Balde picked up a distal hamstring injury in his left thigh on March 3 during Barcelona’s attempted comeback against Atlético Madrid in the Copa del Rey. At the time, he was expected to be sidelined for around four weeks, which would put him on track to return for the upcoming clash against Atlético on April 4, matching the initial prognosis.

Koundé was injured in the same match, suffering a tear in the middle third of his left hamstring. No official recovery timeline was given, but according to Mundo Deportivo, he may need slightly more time than Balde, potentially around an extra week. As a result, he could return for the Atlético fixture, although it remains uncertain whether that would be in LaLiga or in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals.

Frenkie de Jong, meanwhile, sustained a distal hamstring injury in his right leg during training on February 26. Initial estimates placed his recovery at between five and six weeks. The five week mark would coincide with the April 4 league match against Atlético, but given the Dutch midfielder’s typically cautious approach to recovery, a return one week later in the league derby against Espanyol is also a possibility.

In De Jong’s case, the timing of his comeback could also be influenced by Marc Bernal’s strong performances in the holding midfield role, which may push him to accelerate his return and reclaim his place in the team.