FC Barcelona beat Atletico Madrid in midweek, but it was a victory in which they ultimately lost. First off, the 3-0 win over Atletico on Tuesday night, in the Copa del Rey semi-finals second leg, was still not enough to overturn the four goal deficit that had been in place from the first leg. So Barcelona is now dumped out of that competition. Also, this win came with a major price, from an injury standpoint, as both Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde got hurt. Both defenders were hurt badly enough that they’ll have to miss some time.
Kounde suffered an injury to the biceps femoris muscle in his left hamstring.
FC Barcelona at Athletic Club FYIs
Sat. March 7, 9pm, San Mames, Bilbao, Spain
La Liga Standing, Form: Barca 1st, 64 pts, WWLWW Athletic Club 9th, 35 pts, DWWWD
Google Result Probability: Barca 59% Draw 21% Athletic Club 20%
FC Barcelona Team News
There is no official time for his recovery, but there have been reports published already which claim he’ll miss the next international window with France, so basically, he’s out for the entire month of March when you get right down to it. Balde suffered an injury that is strikingly similar to Balde.
He injured the distal biceps femoris muscle in his left hamstring, and the club has ruled him out for about four weeks.
Elsewhere midfielders Frenkie de Jong and Gavi remain on the shelf, but striker Robert Lewandowski has been passed fit for the trip to Bilbao.
Paul M. Banks is the Founding Editor of The Sports Bank. He’s also the author of “Transatlantic Passage: How the English Premier League Redefined Soccer in America,” and “No, I Can’t Get You Free Tickets: Lessons Learned From a Life in the Sports Media Industry.”
He currently contributes to USA Today’s NFL Wires Network, RG.org and Ratings.org. His past bylines include the New York Daily News, Sports Illustrated and the Chicago Tribune. His work has been featured in numerous outlets, including the Wall Street Journal, Forbes and the Washington Post.