Jules Kounde says muscle problem suffered in win over Valencia ‘is nothing serious’… while defender criticizes football authorities for playing ‘too many games’ before World Cup
Jules Kounde said his muscle injury was not serious, despite being substituted
The Frenchman missed the last 15 minutes of Barcelona’s win against Valencia
After the match, he expressed concern about the number of games that were played.
Coach Xavi praised his players for their commitment despite the World Cup
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
<!–
Jules Kounde has said he doesn’t think his injury is “something serious” after his early retirement from play on Saturday, a much-needed boost for Barcelona and France.
Kounde left with just over 15 minutes remaining in regulation time in the League match against Valencia.
His Barcelona teammates finished the match with all three points after Robert Lewandowski’s stoppage-time goal and staying top of the LaLiga table in the process.
With just three weeks to go until the World Cup, injury concerns put the domestic places in jeopardy.
Jules Kounde said that the muscle problem that forced his early retirement at Valencia is not serious
But according to AS after the match, Kounde, 23, said he was not worried about the problem but felt all the players were being asked to do too much.
‘I have a [muscle] overload”, said the Frenchman. ‘Let’s see but I don’t think it’s anything serious.
‘You have to try to do the best you can to take care of yourself physically. There are too many games but we are not the ones in charge. I think they should think more about the players.
His Barcelona teammate Eric Garcia (right) was also forced out early after an awkward crash
His teammate Eric Garcia was also forced off the pitch in the first half of the Valencia match after an awkward fall, but in his brief post-match interview Barcelona manager Xavi did not seem too worried about either of them.
Xavi said: ‘It’s natural. Jules Koundé has made a tremendous effort, we have pushed him and it is normal. We have been changing it. It seems that it is not an injury, it is quite a strong annoyance.
And it seems that Eric is not an injury either. It is a discomfort that has dragged on for a long time.
Xavi praised the commitment of his Barcelona players despite the World Cup on the horizon
They want to force the issue, they want to play even if there is a World Cup. And their commitment is maximum.’
Kounde hopes to feature in France’s World Cup campaign that begins on November 22 against Australia, while Garcia’s Spain begin their competition against Costa Rica the following day.
Meanwhile, Barcelona face a dead rubber Champions League game against Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday, ahead of domestic games against Almeria and Osasuna ahead of the World Cup break.