LALIGA
Barcelona boss Xavi Hernández ignores Jules Koundé’s right-back signing ‘condition’
The France international has rarely played his preferred position this season and has been outshone by Barça teammates Araújo and Christensen.
On 14 August last year, AS reported that Jules Koundé had joined Barcelona on one ’condition’: he didn’t want to play at right-back. It was also one of the reasons for the Frenchman rejecting a move to Chelsea, as Thomas Tuchel, then in charge at Stamford Bridge, had told him that he would be signed, in theory, as a replacement for César Azpilicueta, who was going to move to Barça.
Jules Koundé: a reluctant right-back
However, other incomings and outgoings at Camp Nou have meant Koundé has ended up playing there anyway. Héctor Bellerín, a last-gasp signing following Villarreal’s refusal to sell Juan Foyth, was deemed not to be the answer in that position and was at the club for only a few months. Sergio Roberto doesn’t give Xavi the physicality, speed and aggressiveness that he is looking for in that role. That has left Koundé as the perceived strongest option, with the former Sevilla defender forced to accept it and get on with it, much in the same way as he did with France at the World Cup.
Araújo and Christensen outshine Koundé
The 24-year-old’s performances in his first season with the Catalans have been solid rather than spectacular, with Ronald Araújo and Andres Christensen, of whom considerably less was expected, outshining their defensive partner. In the last two matches against Atlético Madrid and Rayo Vallecano, Koundé has looked like a centre-back playing out of position, with Yannick Carrasco and Álvaro García each giving him a fairly torrid time. His lack of explosiveness and speed are highlighted in a wide position, justifying his preference to play infield, while poor positional play was also exposed on several occasions in Wednesday’s loss in Vallecas. Koundé's decision to move into a narrow defensive position gave Álvaro space to fire Rayo into what proved to be an unassailable 2-0 lead. “I don’t have any reference points when playing at full-back”, he has previously been quoted as saying.
What does next season hold for Koundé?
With the season drawing to a close, could there even be a doubt about whether he will remain at the club next term? Xavi has made his desire to sign a new right-back clear but the club have been unable to make any promises due to their other priorities. Barça must slash their wage bill and find a way to register Gavi and Araújo as first-team players, while they have ambitiously targeted the signings of Paris Saint-Germain superstar Lionel Messi, Iñigo Martínez of Athletic Club and Manchester City midfielder Ilkay Gündogan. Koundé doesn’t want to continue at right-back in 2023-24 but, then again, he didn’t want to this season, either...