Barcelona’s esteemed centre-back, Jules Kounde, is anticipated to be absent from the highly anticipated Clasico, as indicated by reports from Spanish media. The club officially confirmed on Monday that Kounde suffered a knee ligament sprain during their recent 2-2 draw against Granada in La Liga.
Following a collision with his teammate Gavi, Kounde was forced to leave the pitch and is expected to be sidelined for approximately one month due to the sprain. This unfortunate development adds to the growing list of injuries for Barcelona, which includes Robert Lewandowski, Frenkie de Jong, Pedri, and Raphinha.
Barcelona’s upcoming fixtures, including the clash against Real Madrid on October 28 in La Liga, the encounter with Athletic Bilbao on October 22, and the Champions League match against Shakhtar Donetsk on October 25, will all be without the influential presence of Kounde.
Throughout this season, Kounde has showcased his exceptional talent as a central defender, having played in all 11 of Barcelona’s games. It is worth noting that he successfully transitioned into this role after primarily being utilized as a right-back in the previous campaign.
Furthermore, Kounde’s absence extends beyond his club duties, as he will not be available for France’s Euro 2024 qualifier against the Netherlands on Friday, nor for the friendly match against Scotland next Tuesday. France’s national team is already grappling with the absence of Arsenal defender William Saliba due to a toe injury, resulting in coach Didier Deschamps selecting Jean-Clair Todibo as Saliba’s replacement on Sunday.
