FC Barcelona are scheduled to face Alavés in La Liga on Sunday, after which most of the team’s players will disperse to represent their national teams during the international break. With several key players leaving for international duty, the Catalans will be hoping that injuries do not plague them during this period.
One of the many players called up for international duty from Barcelona is Jules Koundé. The right-back is a regular in Didier Deschamps’ squad and he has established himself in these first months as one of the best in his position in the league.
Kounde has been an ever-present for Hansi Flick so far this season. He has played every minute for the club in all competitions and is one of only two players alongside Robert Lewandowski for starting every match.
However, the downside is that the 25-year-old Frenchman has not received any rest so far this season. Now, you can’t expect an international coach to do Barcelona any favors by resting Koundé, but when there are double standards, it’s sure to irritate the club.
According to SPORTBarcelona are frustrated by French manager Didier Deschamps’ apparent favoritism towards Real Madrid superstar Kylian Mbappé, highlighting the fact that he has been left off the France squad list because he needs rest.
When Deschamps was asked about it, here’s what the French manager had to say to explain his reasoning behind Mbappé’s exclusion:
“I spoke with Kylian, there is a match on Saturday (against Villarreal), in 48 hours with questions, he has a problem which is not serious but which requires treatment so that he recovers well. I’m not here to take risks. »
When Mbappé was fit enough to play nearly 30 minutes against Lille in the Champions League, it seemed like special treatment for the resting Real Madrid superstar. This contrasts with Koundé, who also needs rest.
Mbappé suffered a hamstring problem that was expected to keep him out for a month, but he quickly returned to action. Now he is ready to rest completely for a few weeks to be fit and shoot conveniently in time for El Clasico after the international break.
