concern for Jules Koundé, left injured in the left thigh with Barça against Valencia

The French international defender of FC Barcelona Jules Koundé, gave up his place in the 73rd minute of the La Liga match against Valencia, Saturday October 29, visibly injured in the back of the left thigh, three weeks before the World Cup in Qatar (November 20). – December 18).

Koundé (23, 12 caps), one of the potential holders of the French team in Qatar, sat for several minutes on the Mestalla lawn in Valencia, holding the back of his left thigh, then gave in his place, grimacing at Gerard Pique. An exit which worries for the future of the Blues, already largely diminished by injuries in recent days.

Substitution

↑ @3gerardpique
↓ @jkeey4 #ValenciaBarca pic.twitter.com/JIs1CL7dD8

—FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) October 29, 2022

One of the tricolor executives, Raphaël Varane, injured in a thigh, will not play again before the World Cup. Lucas Hernandez (Bayern Munich) is in the recovery phase and Paul Pogba, who has started a race against time to compete in the World Cup, has “partially” resumed collective training with Juventus, but is not sure to play again before tournament.

Koundé, transferred to Barcelona this summer from Sevilla FC for 50 million euros, has already suffered a left thigh injury this season: on September 22, he had to give up his place with the Blues in the first half of the match against Austria (2-0), suffering from an injury to the biceps femoris of the left thigh. He regained his starting place for the clasico, which the Catalans lost 3-1 at the Santiago-Bernabéu on October 16. In total, he has ten games this season.

After the final whistle and victory in additional time for Barça thanks to Robert Lewandowski against Valencia (0-1), the coach of the Catalan club, Xavi, however, was reassuring at the microphone of DAZN. “It seems to be a painful blow for Koundé, but there is no injury. We will see the result of the exams, but the feeling is that it is only a blow.”