Hansi Flick rules out important Barcelona star for Celta match

Barcelona's head coach, Hansi Flick, provided a disheartening fitness update ahead of the historically tough LALIGA fixture against Celta Vigo at Balaidos, revealing that starting right-back Jules Kounde is ruled out. 

The trip to Balaidos to face Celta Vigo has been one of the most daunting fixtures on the Blaugrana's LALIGA calendar in recent years. In their past ten matches against the Galician side at Abanca Balaidos, Barcelona have won just two, losing four and drawing four more times. 

In addition to Celta’s positive head-to-head record, they are also in better form, having won their last four matches, compared to Barcelona's two in five. Flick admitted that the dynamics made the match difficult but insisted that they would show the right attitude. 

“Celta is in a very good rhythm at the moment,” he said, per Football Espana. “They have won the last four matches. They are probably in a better situation than we are.

“But it always has to do with attitude, with mentality. And that’s what we’ve been talking about. We want to win there because it’s important for us, because we want to go into this break with three more points.”

Hansi Flick also provided an injury update for two of their starting defenders, Eric Garcia and Jules Kounde. Garcia suffered a facial injury and, according to Flick, can participate wearing a mask. Kounde, on the other hand, will have to pass a late fitness test. 

“Eric can play; he’s fine. With a mask, of course. Jules? He hasn’t finished training and I have doubts that he will be in the squad. I don’t think he will travel, but we have one more day. We are going to wait and see.”