Barcelona defender faces new reality after losing his spot in the team for club and country

Barcelona defender faces new reality after losing his spot in the team for club and country FC Barcelona versatile star Jules Kounde has not started the season with the same level of prominence he enjoyed in recent campaigns. As highlighted by MARCA , the 27-year-old defender has seen his role reduced both at Barcelona and with the France national team, an unusual situation for a player who had established himself as an important member of both sides. At Barcelona, Kounde has started just twice and has featured in five matches across La Liga and the Champions League. In total, he has played 261 minutes. His presence in the starting XI has also declined over the latest league fixtures, with the defender left on the bench for the last three games against Levante, Racing Santander and Sevilla. A rare spell on the bench for France No longer a guaranteed starter. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images) Kounde also experienced a change in his role during the latest international break. With France, he played the full 90 minutes in two of the four matches, specifically the first and last games. In the other two, he had to watch from the bench. It was the first time Kounde had been left out of France’s starting XI for two consecutive matches since June 2022, also during the UEFA Nations League. His previous record with the national team underlines the change in circumstances. At the last World Cup, Kounde featured in every match played by France. Looking to regain his confidence Kounde will now return to Barcelona determined to regain the prominence he has lost. The defender addressed his situation on Sunday and accepted some responsibility for his current position. What does the future hold for Kounde? (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) Kounde acknowledged that he did not perform at the level expected of him last season. He explained that he now needs to work as hard as possible to rediscover his best form and earn his place in the team again. The season is still in its early stages, giving the Frenchman plenty of time to change the current situation. His immediate challenge is to recover playing time and consistency, but above all, to rediscover the form that previously made him an important part of the team. Meanwhile, Kounde’s situation has also led to interest from clubs in the Premier League . So, it will be a situation to watch closely in the months to come.