After a recent injury to a key center-back, Barcelona will proceed with caution.
Jules Kounde made his long-awaited return from injury during the weekend match against Real Madrid.
The defender, who had a knock during the international break, played alongside Eric Garcia as a center-back. They were tasked with preventing Karim Benzema and Vinicius Junior from causing havoc inside the Barça box.
Despite the fact that things did not go exactly as planned, Barcelona is relieved to have Kounde back to full fitness.
A recent Dario report provided an update on the club's plans for using the Frenchman in the near future, implying that the Blaugrana have no intention of pushing the defender to his limits.
Barcelona does not want to risk a relapse after only recently returning from an injury. As a result, they intend to rest the defender in one of the club's two matches this week.
Following their defeat to Real Madrid, Barcelona will play host to Villarreal later this evening. In the absence of a reliable option at right-back, or even at center-back, Kounde is likely to play in that game.
Barcelona's other match is against Athletic Club on Sunday. Kounde is likely to be rested for that match, especially given that the club will face Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League next midweek.
Unfortunately for Xavi Hernandez, due to an apparent injury crisis in the defensive unit, the Barcelona coach cannot afford to give Kounde too much breathing room.
Andreas Christensen and Ronald Araujo are both out injured for the club, while new signing Hector Bellerin has only recently recovered from an injury of his own.
The situation will force Xavi to use Kounde to his full potential, but in the short term, resting the Frenchman appears to be the best option.
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