Koundé's weak match in his return to the starting XI: the Frenchman suffered in Vallecas
Published New:1/09/2025 - 05:35h
Updated New:1/09/2025 - 05:37h
Jules Koundé did not have a good performance in Barça's draw against Rayo (1-1) in Vallecas. The Frenchman was involved in a marking error that ended in Fran Pérez's goal.
Jules Koundé returned to the starting lineup with FC Barcelona after a long time. However, he did not have a good match against Rayo Vallecano (1-1). The '23' was exposed in the play of the equalizing goal.
When the 67th minute was passing, the 'franjirrojos' take a corner. The defender goes with the mark of the Senegalese Pathé Ciss and leaves Fran Pérez alone, who equalized the match with a volley goal.
Apart from the play of the goal, the defender pushed Josep Chavarría in an action without the ball and received a yellow card, being the only player of Barça to be cautioned in the entire match.
Koundé returned to the starting XI after months of absence
Hansi Flick had used Eric García as a right back in the first matches of LaLiga EA Sports 25/26 against Mallorca and Levante. But for this third match, the German coach decided to include the Frenchman on the right wing from the start.
Jules Koundé had not played as a starter in LaLiga since April 19, in the Blaugrana's victory against Celta de Vigo (4-3).
Then he was able to be part of the starting eleven in other competitions, such as that final of the Copa del Rey against Real Madrid in La Cartuja, where he scored the winning goal, and in the first leg of the Champions League semi-finals against Inter Milan.
After that first match in the key against the Italian club, he could not continue playing due to a distal injury in the femoral biceps of his left thigh, which kept him away from the field for the entire month of May.
Álvaro García and Isi Palazón were Koundé's nightmare
Jules Koundé had to reference Álvaro García and Isi Palazón on the right wing. The two players of Rayo Vallecano became his nightmare, as they easily surpassed him in several stretches of the match.
In his defensive performance, the Paris native had 4 recoveries, 2 interceptions and 4 clearances (1 header).
On the other hand, he won 4 of 7 ground duels (57%) and all 3 aerial duels played. In addition, he committed three fouls.
The commitment against Rayo was the last before the FIFA break, where Koundé will be playing with the French national team in the matches against Ukraine and Iceland for the qualifiers for the 2026 World Cup.
Now it will be up to Flick if after the international break he decides to align the Frenchman again in the starting lineup or return to using Eric García on the right wing.
