MADRID, Oct. 23 — FC Barcelona looks almost certain to be without defender Jules Kounde for Sunday’s vital La Liga game at home to Real Madrid after the Frenchman failed to train with his teammates on Friday.
Kounde sprained his ankle in last Saturday’s 5-2 win away to Betis and although he missed Tuesday’s Champions League defeat away to Paris Saint-Germain, there had been hopes he could recover in time for Sunday’s match, in which Barcelona will look to extend its six-point lead over its historic rival.
However, Kounde’s failure to train with the group on Friday, as he worked with a physiotherapist in the gym, means he is now highly unlikely to be available for Sunday’s game.
His injury comes at a bad time for Barcelona coach Hansi Flick, who also lost Eric Garcia to a thigh injury last Saturday, with the Spain international expected to be sidelined for three to four weeks.
Andreas Christensen is also unavailable as he continues to recover from a thigh injury. Flick called up B-team defender Alex Campos, who travelled to Paris with the squad this week, to Friday’s training session, along with B-team midfielders Orian Goren and Ebrima Tunkara.
The Barcelona coach has several options to replace Kounde on Sunday, with 19-year-old Xavi Espart the most likely candidate to fill in at right-back. Alternatively, Flick could move Joao Cancelo from left-back to right-back and bring Alejandro Balde into the starting lineup on the left. 3 (Namibia Daily News /Xinhua)
