Barcelona defender not yet ruled out of El Clasico; will test himself in training today | OneFootball

Barcelona are making the final preparations before El Clasico with a training session featuring some key updates ahead of the trip to Madrid.

One of the big question marks heading into tomorrow’s game against Real Madrid is the availability of Jules Kounde, after he missed back-to-back training sessions on Thursday and Friday due to a knock.

Kounde not yet ruled out

Now, as reported by SPORT, Kounde arrived at the Ciutat Esportiva this morning at the same time as the rest of the Barcelona players called up for the morning session.

Training was scheduled for 10:30 am, with Hansi Flick setting 9:30 am as the latest arrival time. And the Frenchman appeared at 9:15 am, unlike in previous days when he did not have to arrive so early, as he was not training with the group.

The plan for Kounde is to test himself on the pitch today to get a direct sense of how he feels and whether he can play against Real Madrid.

Kounde will test himself in training. (Photo by Juan Manuel Serrano Arce/Getty Images)

There is no intention to take any unnecessary risks, but the aim is to assess his response after the knock he suffered last Tuesday in the Champions League match against Olympiacos.

Based on how he feels, a decision will be made on whether he can be included in the squad for El Clasico.

Kounde’s arrival at the same time as the main group is a sign of progress in his recovery process, though it does not necessarily mean he will make the final squad.

Once the session is over, the player and coaching staff will evaluate the situation and make a decision.

Frenkie de Jong and Andreas Christensen, meanwhile, have both fully recovered from recent illnesses and will be included in the squad. Raphinha, however, will not be available.