Barcelona have concerns about form of two key players | OneFootball

Barcelona have had far from a straightforward season so far, with Hansi Flick’s side having particularly struggled in recent weeks. Much of the focus has been on their defensive woes, with them having conceded 18 goals in their last 10 matches across all competitions.

Barcelona officials are very aware of the issues that Flick’s side have had with the high line, but the feeling is that they are also being let down by individuals. In particular, there are concerns about first-choice full-back pair Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde, as MD have reported.

Kounde had started the season on the bench, but since returning to the line-up in the draw at Rayo Vallecano in September, he has struggled to reach the heights of the 2025-26 campaign in both a defensive and attacking sense. His below-par performances have even seen Barcelona reportedly step up plans to sign a new right-back.

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Barcelona bemused by Kounde drop in form

The report has claimed that Barcelona are unsure as to why Kounde has struggled so much over the last couple of months. He has the full support of Flick, and he was even rewarded with a new contract in August, so officials feel that there are no external factors playing a part in the situation.

As for Balde, he was out for over a month after injuring his hamstring during training in early September. Since making his way back into the starting line-up, he has done okay, but the feeling is that he can get much better in the coming weeks.

It will be interesting to see how Kounde and Balde get on over the coming weeks, in what is another difficult spell of matches for Barcelona. Flick cannot afford any passengers, so if they do not up their form, they could find themselves on the bench.