Barcelona Defensive Crisis: Koundé and Balde Forced Off Injured vs Atletico
Spanish giants FC Barcelona are now out of the Copa del Rey following their 3-0 victory against arch-rivals Atlético de Madrid. Despite losing 3-0 in the second leg of the semi-final, Atlético managed to advance to the final after narrowly securing a 4–3 win on aggregate. Beyond their tournament exit, Barcelona now faces mounting injury concerns as the season enters its most critical stages. During Tuesday’s Copa del Rey semi-final at the Nou Camp, defenders Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde suffered injuries and were unable to complete the match.
Defensive Blows: Kounde and Balde Forced Off with Injuries
Barcelona manager Hansi Flick was forced into an early change, withdrawing Jules Kounde after just 11 minutes when the Frenchman went to ground and appeared to know immediately he could not continue. Barcelona’s medical staff, led by Dr. Ricard Pruna, quickly attended to the former Sevilla defender on the pitch, and the injury updates from the medical team are yet to come. It’s still unclear how much time he will miss this season. Following Kounde’s injury, Flick replaced him with the Spanish right-back Alejandro Balde in his place, but Barcelona’s troubles deepened as Balde suffered a muscle problem and was forced off as the game progressed into the 71st minute. The Spaniard left the pitch visibly emotional as he was substituted, with Ronald Araujo coming on in his place.
Hansi Flick Praises Team Mentality and Youth Performance
FC Barcelona boss Hansi Flick said that they had been brave and that he was proud of his players, describing it as a spectacular match. He stated that they had been one goal short but had played very, very well. He noted that when looking at young players like Bernal, Cubarsí, and Gerard performing at that level, they had given everything for the club. However, he admitted that they were disappointed not to have scored the fourth goal.
Flick added that everyone had been convinced about how to play and that the entire team had been fantastic. He highlighted that Bernal had scored two goals and that Cubarsí had also been incredible. He said it was the mentality he wanted from his players and believed they could be among the best in the world. He concluded by saying that he truly enjoyed watching them play.
Suspensions Compound Barcelona’s Defensive Crisis
FC Barcelona suffered a defensive crisis in the match against Atletico as Spanish Center Back Eric Garcia was suspended for this fixture after being sent off late in Barcelona’s first-leg defeat at Riyadh Air Metropolitano.
“We Have Two More Injuries, And I’m Not Happy About It.” Says Fc Barcelona Boss
La Liga title race is heating up with Barcelona leading the race and is 4 points clear from their arch-rivals, Real Madrid. The mounting injury concerns could shake Barcelona’s squad depth, and the unavailability of first-team players will impact as the season enters its final stages. Hansi Flick shared his injury concerns; stated that they had needed Pedri on the pitch, and said he was very happy that the player had not been injured, admitting that leaving him on the field for 90 minutes had been a risk.
He added that they had two more injuries (Kounde and Balde) and that he was not happy about it, stressing that they needed to talk about the situation. Flick further explained that with Frenkie injured as well, they now had three injured players, and emphasized the need to speak with the medical team and staff to prevent three players from getting injured in one week.
The Growing Injury List: Key Stars Sidelined
The injury list for Spain’s league toppers is expanding as the season wears on. Spanish midfielder Gavi is suffering from a knee injury, and the possible return date is unknown. Along with him, Frenkie De Jong hasn’t fully recovered from a thigh injury. Their star striker, Robert Lewandowski, is also out due to an eye injury, and Denmark defender Andreas Christensen is also out due to a knee injury, with a possible return date still unknown.
