Barca star “completely unleashed” under Flick

When Jules Koundé moved to FC Barcelona in the summer of 2022, he was considered a great source of hope. But the last season in particular was rather unfortunate for the French. According to the Spanish newspaper sport In the meantime, he was even put to the test.

All of that has changed since the arrival of coach Hansi Flick. Koundé already has five points as a right-back – and recently played perhaps his best game for the Catalans in the Champions League against Red Star Belgrade.

“Koundé’s crazy night in little Maracana,” was the headline AS after Barca’s 5-2 win last Wednesday.

The French international was really hot in the second half. In the 53rd minute he served star striker Robert Lewandowski with a perfect cross, which the free-standing Pole only had to maneuver over the line with his knee to make it 3-1 – and just 90 seconds later he found Raphinha at the back of the defense, who was out central position to make it 4-1.

But that’s not all: with his third assist of the day, this time on youngster Fermín López (75th), Koundé completed his “assist hat trick” that died AS celebrated: “In the second half he was completely unleashed.”

Die sport added that the former Sevilla player “has been playing at a high level for weeks” and is producing great performances both offensively and defensively. According to the analysis, it is becoming “more and more precise, more and more deadly”.

“We saw the peak of this attacking version of Koundé against Red Star Belgrade,” the Barcelona-based newspaper praised the 25-year-old, who played “his best game in a Barca jersey.”

The Frenchman was actually hired as a central defender – and prefers to play in the center. “There was a time when Jules Koundé rejected the right-back position. “It was last season when Xavi decided to put him in this position,” wrote the Marca after his assist hat-trick in Belgrade.

However, that is not the whole truth: “What Koundé wanted was to be told in good time which position he would play,” it continues.

Flick therefore made it clear to the Frenchman from the start: “He will be a right-back with him.” Every day, that is his position.”

And that’s exactly how it happened. In 16 appearances under the German, Koundé played as a right-back 16 times, and in his 88 appearances under Xavi he alternated between the positions (48 times each as a central defender and as a right-back).

Meanwhile, the originally defensive-oriented Koundé seems to feel more and more comfortable in the front third. He demonstrated this impressively in Belgrade.