Jules Koundé is in serious doubt for El Clásico with an ankle sprain

Jules Koundé (FC Barcelona) suffered a severe sprain in his left ankle against Real Betis last Saturday and, although he finished that match, returned with clear signs of limping. Tests carried out on Sunday confirmed the problem, which is why he ultimately missed yesterday’s game versus Paris Saint-Germain.

A very painful ankle

Barcelona had considered the possibility of Koundé playing next Sunday’s match against Real Madrid, and coach Hansi Flick didn’t rule it out during the PSG build-up. However, the club’s staff now consider it very unlikely he can feature, because the area is still extremely painful and causes a strong limp. The aim would be to try to have him available on the bench if an emergency arises.

Infiltration is an option, but risky

A workaround mentioned is using an infiltration to reduce pain, but that could aggravate the ligament injury by forcing an already twisted area. The article also notes Koundé is not particularly keen on anesthetic infiltrations. The defensive picture is further strained by Eric García’s absence, while Frenkie de Jong—despite being floated by Flick—did not get minutes in either central defense or midfield in the PSG match.