Jules Kounde suffered an injury during Barcelona’s win over Villarreal, with his recovery timeline now confirmed.
The French international’s versatility—seamlessly shifting between center-back and full-back—has allowed the Blaugrana to maintain their blistering pace at the top of LaLiga, even amid a grueling schedule.
Yet, as Barcelona closed out 2025 with a morale-boosting road win, a shadow loomed over the celebrations at Estadio de la Cerámica.
Tragedy struck late in the 2-0 triumph over Villarreal when Jules Kounde limped off in evident distress, clutching the back of his right leg.
Diario AS reports that the star defender suffered a hamstring strain, with initial assessments painting a pessimistic picture from the dressing room.
Timeline confirmed: Jules Kounde faces a sidelining of three to four weeks, pending Monday’s definitive tests, dealing a hammer blow to Flick’s title-chasing machine.
Jules Kounde is almost certainly ruled out of the Catalan derby against Espanyol and, crucially, the Spanish Super Cup in Jeddah, where Barcelona face Athletic Club in the semi-final.
With Ronald Araujo already absent and Andreas Christensen nursing a separate knee issue from training, Flick’s backline depth is stretched perilously thin.
No natural right-back replacement exists in the squad, forcing improvisation that could expose vulnerabilities against pacey wingers.
Eric García has thrived as an emergency full-back in this system, his composure and passing range fitting seamlessly into the high-line setup.
Midfielder Marc Casado represents another viable option, having been tested successfully in defensive roles earlier this term.
Still, Barcelona craves Koundé’s return for those high-stakes clashes—his absence risks disrupting the defensive harmony that has fueled their eight-game LaLiga winning streak.
The club holds its breath for positive news, but pessimism reigns. Koundé’s injury underscores the fragility of squad rotation amid fixture congestion, prompting whispers of a January market dip.
Barcelona’s lead at the summit remains intact, but navigating this setback will test their squad’s true mettle heading into 2026. Recovery can’t come soon enough.
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