Barcelona have depleted their centre-back ranks without replacing departing defenders Ronald Araujo and Alvaro Cortes this summer, leaving Hansi Flick with just Pau Cubarsi, Gerard Martin and Andreas Christensen as orthodox options. The shortage has prompted Flick to experiment with Jules Kounde in a central role during training, according to SPORT, as the club seeks defensive cover ahead of upcoming fixtures.
Flick Tests Kounde in Unfamiliar Central Position
The 26-year-old Frenchman, who has built his Barcelona reputation primarily at right-back, is being assessed centrally in pre-match sessions. Kounde possesses genuine experience in that role and the technical foundation to operate there effectively, yet his recent campaign has seen him occupy the wider berth. Training observations now suggest Flick is weighing a positional shift as a response to the depth crisis at centre-back.
Eric Garcia and Jules Kounde can both play centrally if required, but their primary value lies elsewhere—Garcia potentially in midfield, Kounde traditionally on the flank. This constraint has forced the coaching staff to seek internal solutions rather than pursue emergency defensive recruitment before the transfer window closes.
Why Versatility Could Solve Barcelona’s Depth Problem
The timing of Kounde’s central experiments carries tactical weight. A squad competing across La Liga, the Copa del Rey and European competition demands defensive flexibility without structural compromise. Flick’s defensive philosophy emphasises aggressive pressing and recovery pace in transition, attributes Kounde possesses in abundance regardless of position. His ability to cover both right-back and centre-back simultaneously would grant Flick tactical latitude when injuries, suspension or fixture congestion create gaps in the rearguard.
Kounde’s pace and comfort defending away from his own box—hallmarks of his profile—become particularly valuable in the middle, where he could handle one-v-one situations and cover significant ground. This approach sidesteps the need for reactive transfer-market activity and instead capitalises on a player already in the squad.
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Recapturing Form Remains the Central Test
Flick’s deployment choice hinges on Kounde’s ability to rediscover the sharpness that made him one of Europe’s finest defenders during his Sevilla years and early Barcelona months. Whether he starts centrally against Valencia alongside Cubarsi, and how he performs in that matchup, will signal whether this experimental approach carries genuine competitive viability or remains a training-ground contingency. His current status as a non-automatic starter adds urgency to his personal performance trajectory.
