Barcelona, : FC Barcelona captain Frenkie de Jong will be sidelined for five to six weeks with a right thigh muscle injury, the La Liga leaders said on Thursday.
The 28-year-old midfielder sustained the injury during training and is set to miss key domestic and European fixtures in the coming weeks.
Barcelona said De Jong will be unavailable for league matches against Villarreal CF, Athletic Bilbao, Sevilla FC and Rayo Vallecano, as well as their UEFA Champions League Round of 16 tie against either Newcastle United or Paris Saint-Germain.
He will also miss the second leg of the Copa del Rey semi-final against Atletico Madrid, with Barcelona aiming to overturn a four-goal deficit.
Barcelona top La Liga on 61 points, one ahead of second-placed Real Madrid.
