Frenkie de Jong admits Barcelona’s El Clasico defeat to Real Madrid ‘hurts’

Frenkie de Jong says Barcelona’s 2-1 defeat by Real Madrid in El Clasico was “very disappointing”, after the Dutch midfielder returned from a lengthy injury absence.

De Jong was not included in Barcelona’s starting line-up for the La Liga meeting but came on in the 74th minute, replacing Fermin Lopez.

Speaking to Ziggo Sport in comments reported by Dutch publication Voetbal International, De Jong said: “I have to say that, first of all, I am very disappointed.”

The 31 October 2026 fixture was played on home ground, making the result particularly painful for the midfielder.

“It is good to be back playing, but losing El Clasico at home always hurts,” he added.

“When you lose a match in that way, you have a bad feeling. I do not think we played at our best throughout the game. We made more mistakes in passing than usual.”

Barcelona had remained unbeaten earlier in the season, but have now suffered two defeats this week. The first came against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League, before the loss to Real Madrid.

De Jong believes the timing of the setbacks means Barcelona still have plenty of opportunity to respond.

“It is good that this has happened at the beginning of the season, because we can learn from it,” he said. “Nothing has been decided yet. We are still top of the league, and the Champions League is still in its early stages.”

The midfielder also acknowledged the threat posed by Real Madrid’s attacking players, particularly their pace and quality in the final third.

“On the other hand, Real Madrid have forward players who are extremely fast and possess great quality,” De Jong said. “They can hurt you with those abilities, and that is exactly what they did. Conceding a goal at the end of the game in that way is extremely frustrating.”

De Jong, who had spent months dealing with injury, said he was now feeling ready to increase his involvement gradually.

“I am ready and I feel good,” he said. “Now it is about gradually increasing the amount of time I play. I have to work towards returning to the starting line-up as soon as possible.”

He added: “I am highly motivated and very excited. When I get opportunities, I will have to show my ability on the pitch.”

Barcelona are listed to play Deportivo Alaves in La Liga on 31 October 2026. Racing Santander and Real Madrid are listed for La Liga action on 1 November 2026.