FC Barcelona does not necessarily have their most stacked squad available at the moment. While the aid of many talented youngsters is still there for the team to use, many first team players are still unavailable. Either due to international duty or injuries, Barcelona is a bit short-staffed for now.
However, new Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has some very specific demands of his players this season. Given that he hopes to deploy a physical and more intense team to counter the demands of this upcoming season, certain players at Barcelona simply fit his demands better.
Unfortunately for Hansi Flick, Ronald Araujo’s injury excludes a very crucial player from the Barcelona coach’s available roster. The Uruguayan defender would have been ideal for the type of high-line that Flick likes to make use of. As a result, it is natural that alternative options must be addressed.
Fortunately, 25-year-old French defender Jules Kounde has now returned to the Barcelona camp over in the United States of America. However, looking ahead to the season, SPORT reveals that there is still a major dilemma to be solved that the new Barça coach will have to address urgently.
While Kounde would naturally have been included in the starting eleven as a right-back, a position he seems to have mastered with both Barcelona and with France, the absence of the Uruguayan leader in defense opens up a significant void that needs to be filled.
Furthermore, with there being plenty of options available at the fullback positions, Kounde could be forced to return to playing as a central defender again. While he may not be the physical profile that Flick would have appreciated with Araujo, Kounde is an elite central defender in his own right.
However, after so much confusion about his role and position previously, it remains to be seen how exactly Hansi Flick manages to implement him into the team. Players like Pau Cubarsi, Andreas Christensen, Inigo Martinez, and even Clement Lenglet are options for those central positions within the defense. On the other hand, upcoming stars like Gerard Martin and the consolidated Alejandro Balde are also key options for the fullback spots.
With this depth still available, Flick will need to assess whether to put Kounde in as a central defender or a fullback. Depending on which position requires his expertise more, the Barcelona coach will have to make a decision that could be vital in terms of its importance for the first half of the season at least.
