There has been a clearly visible change in the form of FC Barcelona in the last few weeks, as the Catalans have been able to get highly positive results going into the business end of the season.
Several factors have been identified by various individuals on how the team has been able to recover its form, with Xavi himself pointing to his decision to leave the club as one of the most important reasons.
The deployment of Andreas Christensen in midfield has also been identified as another such reason resulting in Barcelona’s improved results.
Another factor that cannot be ignored in this regard is the changed form of the defender Jules Kounde. Over the last few weeks, the Frenchman has gotten back to his best at the right-back position, which has been integral in bringing defensive solidity back to Xavi’s team.
His performance against Kylian Mbappe clearly showcased Kounde’s return to his last season’s levels. There might have been several causes on how Kounde has been able to regain his form, but his work on his physicality has been one of the most prominent such causes.
It has been normal for the French defender to work with the substitutes on post-match days to regain physical sharpness. Furthermore, he has also been playing as a pivot in some of the training sessions, which allows him to improve his skills with the ball, which is helping him become a more complete player by complementing his already formidable agility and pace.
As SPORT has noted, Kounde’s commitment to remain in the best possible shape physically was clearly on display as he shared an image of himself working out in the Barcelona training facilities at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper at 4 am in the morning, and that too after having returned from Andalusia only last night after the match against Cadiz.
Kounde did not start in this match, and was on the field for only 28 minutes, but has accumulated a lot of minutes through this season. However, he understands that even small details can make a difference, and is thus giving his all to be able to play the second leg against PSG on his best physical level.
