With the signing of Jules Koundé in the past summer, Xavi Hernández achieved the piece that was missing him to form an axis of the defence 'fearsome' beside Ronald Araújo. It had asked it no rest to the sportive direction of a FC Barcelona that kept in the 'battle' with Chelsea to the end. Almost a year afterwards, the feelings with the international by France are not of the all good.
In front of the needs and lacks of the staff, the trainer of Terrassa had to change drastically the plans that had when it scheduled his staff. It darse that it could not form permanently the couple Araújo-Koundé because in the right side there was not any player 'natural' that covered the place. It arrived Héctor Bellerín in the straight final of the market, but did not fulfil the expectations and went a 'fixed' in the bench. The ex of the Seville did with the position, rotando with the charrúa and in occasions with Sergi Roberto.
A season of altibajos of Koundé
The born footballer in Paris adapted with rapidity to the Barcelona model and gathered the characteristics that was looking for the staff technical: a swift head office, with good exit of balloon and able to break lines of driving, as well as with the possibility to play with metres to his backs. It was the complement 'perfect' for the defence. The problem has been that has played 'far' of the centre of the saga more times of what he or the own Xavi imagined it to him.
The position of side is not new for Koundé, all the contrary. It formed in this position in the inferior categories of the Girondins of Burdeos and in the Seville despuntó, also, in this place in his first compasses. It has fulfilled in this role with France, but the big dilemma is that, independently that it can surrender, is not the position in which it feels comfortable or in which it can show his best version. And it is entirely normal that his season remain in a remarkable, without more.
Koundé Assumes his role in the Barça
Sometime of the season, as it has explained 'SPORT', the French kept a meeting with the Barcelona trainer to transmit him that it does not like him play in the band and has glided it, in some opportunity, of public way. The Barcelona have not had more remedy that leave him like right-handed side and the footballer, that wants to follow playing, has finished resignándose. "It is what there is", as it would say Ronald Koeman.
Although in this season has fulfilled, also has left a lot of doubts. Especially in the big parties or the nights in which it demands him a bit more to offensive level. They are missing him own automatisms of the position that no 'learn' of a day to another, especially when it is not comfortable. To Koundé remains him expect to see if they can fichar to a player 'convincente' in this place and if it can happen to play of head office. For the moment, it seems complicated.