Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong expressed his gratitude to the fans for their “applause” when he stepped onto the pitch during the Champions League match against Young Boys (5-0), marking his return after more than five months out due to a new injury to his right ankle.

“To be honest, I didn’t expect it. And I feel really good to be back,” De Jong said about the warm welcome from the crowd that filled the Estadio Olímpico Lluís Companys that night.

The Dutch international admitted that he had “a tough time” being sidelined and had to face “a hard process.” He noted that, during his absence, he observed a team that plays “with a lot of energy and dynamism.”

Now, he is aware that it’s his responsibility to secure a spot in coach Hansi Flick’s starting eleven: “It’s the coach who chooses the players, and I will do as always: give my maximum and play good football.”