One of the key talking points for Barcelona after their two league matches so far has been the omission of Jules Kounde from the starting lineup.
The Frenchman appears to have lost his place in the starting eleven, having failed to get the nod ahead of Eric Garcia at right-back on both occasions.
This is surprising, especially considering the fact that Kounde was one of Barcelona’s top performers last season and recently renewed his contract until 2030.
However, as pointed out by MARCA, Flick’s decision to leave Kounde on the bench in the first two games of the season was a calculated move.
The report adds that the secret behind Kounde’s benching is not a demotion, but rather a clever plan by Hansi Flick to avoid overexerting one of his most important players.
Jules Kounde has played minimal football so far this season. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
After all, the defender played 53 matches across all competitions last season, accumulating 4,422 minutes, the fourth-highest in the squad, before missing the end of the campaign with a thigh injury.
Flick does not want a repeat of that situation. His choice to start Eric Garcia in the first two matches was a calculated rotation designed to allow Kounde more recovery time after a gruelling campaign.
The Frenchman, who ended last season exhausted, only featured for 13 minutes against Mallorca and five against Levante, but is expected to return to the starting XI this weekend against Rayo Vallecano.
In fact, Flick is considering a solution where he can put in-form Eric Garcia in central defence, perhaps at the expense of star defender Ronald Araujo.
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