Jules Kounde faces a complex start to the season as the Barcelona and France defender works to overcome a dip in form under Hansi Flick and Zinedine Zidane, according to reports.
Honest Assessment Follows Reduced Playing Time
During a press conference ahead of international duty, Kounde addressed his current squad status with unusual candor. The 27-year-old acknowledged that his diminished minutes stem directly from his performances during the previous campaign. “It is a challenge that I accept. It is up to me to recover my sensations because I know that, when I am at my best, I will have my minutes.”
At club level, Eric Garcia has emerged as Flick’s preferred option at right-back for Barcelona. Kounde has started just two of five total appearances across LaLiga and the UEFA Champions League this term, accumulating 261 minutes on the pitch. Marca noted that the Frenchman spent three league matches on the bench against Levante, Racing de Santander, and Sevilla prior to the international break. Before the match against Belgium, the 27-year-old made self-criticism and promised more work to try to change his situation at Barcelona and recover the starting spot that Eric Garcia has snatched from him in this start.
International Status Under Zinedine Zidane
With the French national team, Kounde encountered a similarly competitive environment under new head coach Zinedine Zidane. Mundo Deportivo reported that Zidane has made it clear that no positions carry automatic guarantees, utilizing Pierre Kalulu in the defensive rotation. Jules Kounde returned from the international break with his morale strengthened by his latest starting appearance with France.
During the October international window, Kounde started and completed the full 90 minutes in two of France’s four UEFA Nations League fixtures—the opening match against Turkey and a 4-1 victory against Belgium. He watched the fixtures against Italy and the other encounter with Belgium from the bench. Consecutive international substitute appearances marked a rarity for the defender, who featured in every match for Les Bleus during the previous World Cup. Les Bleus are currently group leaders with seven points after consecutive 1-0 away wins against Turkiye and Belgium before a 1-1 home draw against Italy in their last match, sitting ahead of second-placed Belgium with six points, third-placed Italy with four points, and bottom-placed Turkiye with zero points.
L'Équipe Critiques Kounde's Insipid Performance Against Belgium
Despite completing the full match against Belgium, Kounde’s performance did not silence questions surrounding his role in the national setup. French sports daily L’Équipe awarded him a rating of 5, offering a measured critique of his output on the flank.
“The feeling is that we have seen this match dozens of times,” the publication noted in its player ratings. “It is not a bad performance—he does not suffer defensively—he is generous—he joins the attack and overlaps on the outside—but in the end his production remains too insipid, with some inaccuracy in crosses that do not always find their destination. It has not settled the debate over this full-back position. Far from it.”
Reflecting on Zidane’s tactical instructions, Kounde highlighted an emphasis on possession control. “I don’t know if there has been a radical change, but it is in line with the coach’s collective desire to have control, especially with the ball,” noted Kounde. That is one of the areas where he has a lot of room for improvement to be less inefficient.
Premier League Clubs Track Kounde as Barcelona Monitors Replacements
Amid his reduced prominence in Catalonia, Kounde’s contractual situation has attracted attention from abroad. As an international player with a contract until 2030, he is a highly coveted player tracked by five top-level clubs from the Premier League—specifically Chelsea, Arsenal, Liverpool, Manchester United, and Manchester City. Regarding Barcelona, the club is monitoring Iván Fresneda of Sporting de Portugal and Pedro Porro of Tottenham Hotspur.
Barcelona’s defensive depth faces additional tests following a muscle injury sustained by Andreas Christensen. While Pau Cubarsí and Gerard Martín are the pair with the most options to start, Kounde and Eric Garcia battle for the right-back assignment. Flick has also discussed the possibility of deploying Kounde in his initial elite position as a central defender, noting prior to the break that Kounde has a great work ethic as the best starting point to recover his level.
Return to Domestic Action Against Getafe
Barcelona resumes its competitive schedule with a LaLiga fixture against Getafe on Saturday, followed by upcoming matches against Galatasaray on October 13 and Real Betis on October 17.
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