Following their defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the UEFA Champions League, FC Barcelona are set to return to action in La Liga with another blockbuster match, as they will be facing Real Madrid in the first El Clasico of this season.
The defeat in Paris could have impacted the Catalans’ morale a bit, but with the incredible form they showed at the start of the season, they are still the favorites to win this game. However, winning this match would still not be easy, and Hansi Flick’s task will be made significantly more difficult by the absence of some of his important players.
The German coach is going to face several absences in the backline, where Andreas Christensen is out with a long-term injury, while Eric Garcia is also not going to return in time for the classic after his recent injury during the game against Real Betis.
Jules Kounde also suffered a sprain during that game at La Cartuja, [but more optimistic assessments forecasted his return to action in time for El Clasico](https://barcanewsnetwork.com/barcelona-face-defensive-crisis-with-jules-kounde-likely-to-miss-el-clasico/). However, as [Diario AS](https://as.com/futbol/kounde-no-sale-a-entrenar-y-esta-practicamente-descartado-para-el-clasico-f202610-n/) has reported, the Frenchman did not train with the rest of his teammates on Friday, as he worked separately in the gym.
With only around 48 hours left until the game, it is highly unlikely that the French defender would be able to make it for this match. However, one factor that might reassure Flick in these circumstances is the performance of Xavi Espart in the match against PSG, as he scored a goal and showed that he is ready to play at the highest level.
For now, it remains to be seen when Jules Kounde will be able to return to the field to train. However, he might not even be available to be on the bench against Real Madrid, and Barcelona might have to get their job done without him and Garcia in the backline.