FC Barcelona picked up a new injury concern in the stalemate with Inter Milan last night– Jules Kounde. The French fullback suffered a hamstring injury that could end his season. If Kounde does return to fitness, at a level that makes him available to feature again, it won’t be until late May.
Losing their defensive anchor on the right flank is a big setback for the Catalan club, especially when the man on the opposite flank, Alejandro Balde, is nursing a hamstring injury of his own. Balde may be eased back into action on the weekend at Valladolid.
FC Barcelona at Valladolid FYIs
Kick: Sat. May 3, 9pm, Jose Zorilla Stadium, Valladolid, Spain
FC Barcelona Preview Material: Team News Starting Lineup Prediction
Google Result Probability: Barcelona win 74% Draw 15% Valladolid 11%
La Liga Standings: Barcelona 1st, 76 pts Valladolid 20th, 16 pts
FC Barca Team News at Valladolid
Or he may just be rested here, with an eye on the reverse fixture with Inter next week. Robert Lewandowski could be nearing a return, as he continues recovering from his muscular injury, but it almost certainly will not happen here. Saturday also presents an opportunity for Marc-Andre ter Stegen to finally feature, as we expect him to get the call in between the sticks here.
He’s been heathy enough to play for the past couple games, but his injury led to his losing the starting gig; at least for the time being.
And that concludes the team news items for the Blaugranes.
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. 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, the Washington Post and ESPN. You can follow him on Linked In and Twitter