Barcelona defender facing an uphill battle to be fit for El Clasico against Real Madrid
· Yahoo Sports
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According to Mundo Deportivo, FC Barcelona are increasingly pessimistic about Jules Kounde’s chances of being fit for Sunday’s clash against Real Madrid, with a serious ankle sprain continuing to cause significant discomfort.
The 27-year-old defender suffered a severe sprain to his left ankle during Saturday’s La Liga match against Real Betis.
Although he managed to finish the game, he returned from Seville the following day showing clear signs of a limp.
Medical tests carried out on Sunday confirmed a sprain, which ultimately ruled him out of Barcelona’s UEFA Champions League encounter against Paris Saint-Germain on Tuesday night.
Kounde’s injury, coupled with that of Eric Garcia and the continued absence of Andreas Christensen, left the Blaugrana defence seriously depleted for the trip to Parc des Princes.
Pessimism over Kounde’s return for El Clasico
Kounde could miss Sunday’s El Clasico. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
The main question now is whether Kounde can recover in time for Sunday’s meeting with Real Madrid at the Spotify Camp Nou.
Before the PSG match, Barcelona manager Hansi Flick did not rule out the possibility of the defender featuring in the first El Clasico of the season.
“Jules will be back soon; maybe he’ll be an option for the weekend. We have to wait and see,”Flick had said earlier this week.
However, the mood within the coaching staff is now far less optimistic. The affected area remains extremely painful, leaving Kounde with a pronounced limp and making it difficult to envisage him playing in good condition.
One possible option would be to use an injection to temporarily reduce the pain and allow him to play.
Kounde’s absence will be a setback for Barcelona. (Photo by Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)
However, doing so could aggravate the ligament injury by placing additional strain on an ankle already affected by a severe twist. Any final decision would depend on the player, Flick and the medical team.
For now, though, the outlook surrounding Kounde’s availability for the Clasico remains pessimistic.
Frenkie de Jong another defensive option
Xavi Espart’s impressive performance against PSG could help soften the blow if the French defender is unavailable. The youngster did very well on Tuesday strengthening the case for him to start the Clasico at right-back.
Meanwhile, another possibility Flick could consider for the Real Madrid game is to use Frenkie de Jong to strengthen the centre of defence.
However, the Dutch midfielder was not given a single minute against PSG, either in defence or in midfield. As such, a starting role in El Clasico seems unlikely, leaving Flick with further decisions to make as he assesses his options for Sunday.