On the pitch, FC Barcelona are going from strength to strength, but just before their ultimate test, things are going wrong for the Catalans. With Jules Koundé and Eric out, the side are without two defenders.
Will Barcelona’s winning streak continue? The Catalans have won every competitive match this season, including last Saturday’s clash with Betis (5–2). However, Hansi Flick’s side did not come through unscathed.
Ahead of Tuesday’s match against Champions League winners PSG, Jules Koundé was forced to withdraw due to injury. According to a club statement, the Frenchman has sprained his left ankle and will be unavailable for the trip to his home country. Koundé had played at right-back in Seville and was on the pitch for the entire match.
Eric out for several weeks
Eric, who came on for Gerard Martin at half-time, was worse off. The World Cup winner, who is versatile in defence, was deployed in central defence. Eric also saw out the match until the final whistle, but sustained a muscle injury to his right thigh – Barcelona have estimated his recovery time at three to four weeks.
These absences are particularly ill-timed, as the next match is due just a few days after the top-of-the-table clash against PSG. This coming Sunday (9.00 pm), Real Madrid are the visitors to Camp Nou for the first Clásico of the season. At least Koundé is still in contention for this match; otherwise, manager Hansi Flick has a strong alternative in the squad in the form of Joao Cancelo.
Barcelona stay in Seville longer than planned
The injuries weren’t the only setback for Barcelona. Heavy rainfall in Seville prevented the planned journey home on Saturday evening, meaning the Catalans did not arrive home around midnight as hoped, but had to spend the night in Andalusia. As a result, the training session scheduled for Sunday morning had to be cancelled; instead, a recovery session took place in the gym that afternoon.
Barcelona ultimately have only a few hours in the Catalan capital before they set off on their next journey. The team fly to Paris on Monday at 10.30 am.
