Kounde misses Barcelona training, doubtful for El Clasico on Sunday
Synopsis
Barcelona head into Sunday's El Clasico with a defensive crisis — Kounde, Garcia and Christensen all ruled out or doubtful, and a 19-year-old academy graduate potentially tasked with stopping Real Madrid's in-form Yan Diomande. With a six-point lead to protect, Flick's squad depth is about to be tested at the worst possible moment.
Key Takeaways
Jules Kounde missed FC Barcelona's Friday training session and is almost certain to sit out Sunday's El Clasico against Real Madrid .
Kounde sprained his ankle in Barcelona's 5-2 win over Betis last Saturday and also missed Tuesday's Champions League defeat to PSG .
Eric Garcia is out for three to four weeks with a thigh injury, while Andreas Christensen is also unavailable.
19-year-old Xavi Espart is the likeliest candidate to fill in at right-back, having scored his first Champions League goal on Tuesday.
Barcelona hold a six-point lead over Real Madrid in La Liga; a win on Sunday would extend it to nine.
Jules Kounde is almost certain to miss FC Barcelona's La Liga clash against Real Madrid on Sunday, 26 October, after the French defender sat out Friday's training session and worked with a physiotherapist in the gym instead. The ankle sprain Kounde sustained in Barcelona's 5-2 win over Betis last Saturday now looks set to rule him out of one of football's most anticipated fixtures.
Kounde's Injury Timeline
Kounde first suffered the ankle problem during the 26 October La Liga trip to Betis, where Barcelona ran out convincing winners. He subsequently sat out Tuesday's Champions League defeat away to Paris Saint-Germain, with the club hopeful he might recover in time for the weekend. Those hopes have now effectively been extinguished after he trained separately on Friday.
Flick's Defensive Headache Deepens
Barcelona coach Hansi Flick is already short of options at the back. Eric Garcia, the Spain international, picked up a thigh injury in the same Betis match and is expected to be sidelined for three to four weeks. Andreas Christensen remains unavailable as he continues to recover from his own thigh problem. To bolster his thin squad, Flick called up B-team defender Alex Campos, along with B-team midfielders Orian Goren and Ebrima Tunkara, to Friday's session.
Xavi Espart the Likeliest Replacement
The most probable solution, according to reports, is 19-year-old Xavi Espart stepping in at right-back. Flick could alternatively shift Joao Cancelo from the left flank to right-back and hand Alejandro Balde a start on the left. Espart, a product of Barcelona's academy, made his first-team debut last season and was an unused substitute when Barcelona beat Real Madrid 2-0 in May to clinch the La Liga title. He has since established himself as a regular presence in Flick's matchday squads, with his ability to play at either fullback position adding tactical flexibility. Notably, he also scored his first Champions League goal in Tuesday's 4-2 defeat at Paris Saint-Germain.
Espart's Own Take: 'It Will Be a War'
Speaking to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo in an interview published on Thursday, Espart was candid about the challenge ahead. 'The truth is it will be a war,' the teenager said. 'We will go all out; it's a Clasico. You always have to give one hundred percent, and now we have the opportunity to move further ahead in points, so we will fight to the death,' he added. If selected, Espart could find himself facing Real Madrid's Yan Diomande, who scored a spectacular volley in Wednesday's 4-1 Champions League victory over RB Leipzig.
What Is at Stake on Sunday
Barcelona currently hold a six-point lead over Real Madrid in the La Liga standings, and a home win would push that advantage to nine points — potentially delivering a significant psychological blow to their rivals early in the season. For Flick, managing a defensive line shorn of three senior centre-backs and first-choice right-back against Europe's most formidable attacking unit represents a stern test of his squad depth and tactical ingenuity. The match kicks off on Sunday at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Barcelona.
Point of View
The narrative around Barcelona's title credentials will shift fast.
NationPress
24 Oct 2026
Frequently Asked Questions
Will Jules Kounde play in the El Clasico on Sunday?
Kounde is almost certain to miss Sunday's Clasico after failing to train with the Barcelona squad on Friday, instead working with a physiotherapist. He has been sidelined since spraining his ankle in the 5-2 win over Betis on the previous Saturday.
Who could replace Kounde at right-back against Real Madrid?
19-year-old academy graduate Xavi Espart is the most likely replacement at right-back. Alternatively, Hansi Flick could move Joao Cancelo from left-back to right-back and bring Alejandro Balde into the starting lineup on the left.
What other defensive injuries does Barcelona have for the Clasico?
Eric Garcia is out for three to four weeks with a thigh injury sustained in the same Betis match, while Andreas Christensen remains unavailable as he recovers from a separate thigh problem. Barcelona called up B-team players to bolster the training squad.
What is at stake in Sunday's El Clasico for Barcelona?
Barcelona currently lead Real Madrid by six points in La Liga. A win would extend that advantage to nine points and give them a potentially decisive early-season buffer over their closest title rivals.
Who is Xavi Espart and what has he done this season?
Xavi Espart is a 19-year-old full-back from Barcelona's academy who made his first-team debut last season and was an unused substitute in Barcelona's 2-0 title-clinching win over Real Madrid in May. He scored his first Champions League goal in Tuesday's 4-2 defeat at Paris Saint-Germain and has become a regular in Flick's squad due to his versatility at both fullback positions.
