A blessing in disguise? Christensen's injury could unlock the real Kounde
Every misfortune hides an opportunity, and Barcelona's defensive crisis may become Jules Kounde's golden ticket. The Frenchman could finally return to the position where he made his name.
Details: According to Barça Universal, citing Sport, Kounde could start playing more at centre-back now that Andreas Christensen is out injured. The Dane suffered a muscle injury in his left thigh during the weekend's victory over Sevilla and faces a spell on the sidelines.
Christensen's setback leaves Hansi Flick painfully short in the heart of defense: Gerard Martin is the obvious stand-in, while Eric Garcia is the other alternative. But the most intriguing option is Kounde, who was a pure centre-back at Bordeaux and Sevilla, winning the Europa League in that role, before being shifted to right-back at Barcelona. The 27-year-old has never hidden his preference for the central role, and this reshuffle could bring out the very best version of him just as the season enters its decisive phase. The timing matters for France as well: Kounde is part of Zinedine Zidane's first squad for the Nations League games against Türkiye and Belgium, and a run of matches at centre-back for Barça could strengthen his case for a central role with Les Bleus too. Christensen's injury history adds to the concern: the Dane missed months last season with a partial ACL tear and has struggled to stay fit throughout his Camp Nou career, so the club may quietly begin planning without him.
It's worth noting that Barcelona have already conceded defensive reinforcements could be needed, with reports linking the club to Borussia Dortmund's Nico Schlotterbeck, who has a release clause of around €60 million.
Reminder: €60m for a defender! Barcelona prepare a stunning transfer
Miguel Solomons
Dailysports's expert
