Koeman Gives Update on De Jong’s Injury and Reveals Messi–Pedri Secret at Barcelona
Former FC Barcelona manager Ronald Koeman has shared new details about the injury situation of midfielder Frenkie de Jong, while also opening up about the special connection between Lionel Messi and Pedri during his time at the Catalan club.
In a recent interview with ESPN, the current Netherlands national team coach discussed De Jong’s recovery and reflected on how Pedri quickly earned the respect of Messi during training sessions at Barcelona.
De Jong Facing Six Weeks on the Sidelines
According to Koeman, De Jong will be unavailable for approximately six weeks after suffering an injury during a training session toward the end of February. The Dutch midfielder’s absence is a significant setback for Barcelona, as he plays a crucial role in the team’s midfield structure.
Barcelona had earlier indicated that De Jong’s recovery period could take between five and six weeks, and Koeman’s latest update appears to confirm the longer end of that timeline.
Speaking about the situation, Koeman explained that sometimes a period away from the pitch can actually benefit a player physically.
He suggested that the forced break might allow De Jong to recover fully and reduce the risk of fatigue once he returns to action. However, the coach also emphasized that the midfielder will still need time to regain full match fitness after his recovery.
Koeman has previously voiced concerns about how injuries are managed at the club. In the past, he criticized Barcelona for bringing De Jong back too quickly after injury, which increased the risk of recurring problems. Because of that experience, he hopes the club will allow the Dutch international to recover properly this time before returning to competitive football.
Koeman Reflects on Pedri’s Early Days at Barcelona
During the same interview, Koeman also looked back at the early days of Pedri’s arrival at Barcelona.
The young midfielder had joined the club from UD Las Palmas, and the initial plan was to send him out on loan so he could gain experience elsewhere.
However, everything changed after just a couple of training sessions.
Koeman admitted that he had little knowledge of Pedri when the player first arrived. But after watching him train for two days, it became clear that the teenager possessed extraordinary talent.
What truly convinced Koeman to keep Pedri in the first team, though, was the reaction of Messi.
The Dutch coach revealed that during training, Messi repeatedly looked to link up with the young midfielder. In fact, Messi often preferred to pass the ball to Pedri whenever possible.
Koeman explained that this behavior spoke volumes about Pedri’s quality.
According to him, Messi rarely interacts with players he does not trust on the pitch. If the Argentine legend does not rate a teammate, he typically ignores them during training exercises.
Seeing Messi consistently combine with Pedri was therefore a strong signal that the youngster had something special.
A Partnership That Defined an Era
For Koeman, the chemistry between Messi and Pedri was the final confirmation that keeping the young midfielder at Barcelona was the right decision.
Their understanding on the field quickly became one of the most exciting aspects of Barcelona’s play at the time, as Pedri’s intelligence and creativity perfectly complemented Messi’s brilliance.
Looking back, Koeman believes those early training sessions revealed the beginning of a partnership that would go on to define an important chapter in Barcelona’s modern midfield. ⚽🔥