The start of the season at FC Barcelona has brought several surprises, and one of the most striking is Jules Koundé's role as a substitute. The Frenchman came from a campaign in which he was an indispensable piece: he played more minutes than any other player on the squad and established himself as one of the defensive leaders. His performance last season placed him once again among the best defenders in the world and made him earn Hansi Flick's trust.
That level put him on the radar of major European clubs. Liverpool, Manchester City, Chelsea, Bayern Munich, Arsenal, and PSG showed interest in acquiring his services, with offers exceeding €65 million. However, neither Barça nor the player himself considered a transfer.
The decision was clear: bet on his continuity and finalize a contract renewal until 2030, making him a strategic piece of the long-term project.
The unexpected twist in Koundé's role
Despite all of the above, the present shows a very different scenario. Koundé started the season on the bench, first in the Gamper and then in the opening matchday of La Liga. Flick has chosen to give prominence to Eric García, who has managed to take advantage of his opportunity and has replied with solid performances.
This change doesn't respond to performance issues, but rather to a disciplinary decision by the coach.
The coach has sent a clear message inside the locker room: the competitive level is important, but so are attitude and daily commitment. Koundé, despite being one of the group's leaders and a player with seniority, has lost ground in the starting line-ups. This has surprised both fans and the press, who are used to seeing him as a regular starter.
Relationship under strain
The key to the disagreement lies in some behaviors that Flick has not valued positively. According to reports, the French center-back has been late and careless in ways the coach considers incompatible with the level of demand he wants to instill in the team. For this reason, he has not hesitated to take immediate action, relegating him to the bench even though he is one of the most experienced and influential players in the club's locker room.
The relationship between Flick and Koundé is thus going through its most delicate moment since they met at Barça. The defender will have to redouble his efforts to regain the lost trust and become undisputed again. Otherwise, he risks seeing Eric García consolidate his place, a situation that was unthinkable months ago.