Jules Kounde makes honest admission after losing Barcelona place | OneFootball

FC Barcelona have had a blazing start to the new season, winning all of their eight games played so far, and already accumulating a five-point cushion at the top of the league table. However, Hansi Flick has made some notable changes to his team, and some players have clearly lost prominence.

This is particularly the case with the French defender Jules Kounde, who has lost his starting spot at the right-back position to Eric Garcia. He has not played even a single minute for the Catalan side for their last three games, and also did not feature for the French national team in their last two games.

Even when he has stepped on the pitch, there has been a clear decline in his performance, and it is clear that the Frenchman is going through a patch of particularly poor form. As Mundo Deportivo has reported, the defender himself admitted that he is not going through a good moment as he addressed the press ahead of the match between France and Belgium.

Kounde was fairly self-critical, and admitted that he will return to the starting lineup once he regains his form:

“It is my manager’s decision. I feel very good physically. I don’t have any injury. If I am getting less playing time, it is because last season I was well below my standards.”

“It is a consequence and a challenge that I am happy to accept. I will have to work, as I normally do. It is up to me to get back to my best form. I know that when I am in top condition, I will get playing time.”

It remains to be seen whether Zinedine Zidane will put Jules Kounde back in his starting lineup for the last game of this international break, against Belgium. However, it is certainly heartening to see that the Barcelona defender himself recognizes that he needs to work hard to get back to his best level, and hopefully, he will be able to do so soon.