Barcelona can’t catch a break at the moment when it comes to injuries. Robert Lewandowski suffered an ankle problem last week, following on from a similar issue sustained by Frenkie de Jong a couple of weeks prior.
The pair have now been joined in the treatment room by Jules Kounde, who injured his knee during the first half of Barcelona’s 2-2 draw with Granada on Sunday. The Frenchman, who pulled out of the France squad earlier on Monday, has now had his injury diagnosis revealed, and it is not good news.
Barcelona say that Kounde has sprained the internal lateral ligament in his left knee, which Sport have reported will keep him out of action for five weeks. It means that, among other important matches, he will miss the first Clasico of the season, which takes place later this month.
He will also miss La Liga matches against Athletic Club, Real Sociedad and possibly Alaves, as well as the Champions League double-header against Shakhtar Donetsk.
Kounde has been in exceptional form for Barcelona this season, and his absence is a major blow, especially for Xavi Hernandez’s side’s chances in El Clasico.
