Mundo Deportivo: Kounde Adds Extra Training Sessions Multiple Times to Win Flick’s Trust Back

According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona defender Jules Kounde has lost his guaranteed starting position and is trying to regain Hansi Flick’s trust through additional training after regular sessions.

Kounde’s situation has drawn the most attention at the start of this season. Since June, Mundo Deportivo has reported several times that the Frenchman is no longer Hansi Flick’s preferred option, and that the club’s management would consider his departure if a suitable offer arrived. Kounde is no longer considered untouchable.

His performances at the start of the season also confirmed that his sporting situation has changed. Kounde’s form declined last season, and in recent matches other players have gradually gained the upper hand on the right side. Kounde himself is fully aware that he is not currently at his best and must regain the head coach’s trust.

However, if there is one thing that is difficult to criticize this French player for, it is his physical commitment. Kounde has always placed great importance on keeping himself in the best possible condition and even adds individual training beyond the sessions arranged by the club.

Extending training time

Now, he is doing this again. Mundo Deportivo understands that after Barcelona’s first-team training ends, Kounde stays behind to continue working. While his teammates leave the pitch and head to the dressing room, the Frenchman continues training with the assistance of the club’s fitness coaches and physiotherapists.

His goal is clear: to recover his best form and regain his footing in the position where he has already lost his previous dominance. Kounde is very aware of his situation, and his response is to invest more in training. In addition to high-intensity gym sessions, he also extends his training time at Barcelona’s training ground, hoping to quickly rediscover the form that once made him one of the best full-backs in the world.

Not the first time he has done this

This extra training did not only appear after his form declined. Kounde maintained the same high standards during what may have been the best period of his career, when several European giants, including Manchester City, were monitoring his situation.

The Frenchman has consistently trained with fitness coaches outside Barcelona’s team sessions. He has been photographed several times training at an athletics track in Sitges, at around 12:30 to 13:00 Beijing time, before arriving at Barcelona’s training ground several hours early to train with his teammates.

This habit explains Kounde’s understanding of football well. He trained hard even when his starting position was undisputed, and he continues to do so after losing his previous influence.