4 Talking Points from FC Barcelona 2-1 Athletic Club
4. Kounde repays the manager's faith
Before the game, Hansi Flick had openly claimed that he was counting on Jules Kounde to stop Nico Williams from having an impact on the fixture. The French international started in his not-so-favorite right-back position but repaid the trust shown in him by his manager with a defensive masterclass keeping the Athletic attackers at bay.
Jules Koundé had the most tackles in the match, and was not dribbled past once against Athletic. pic.twitter.com/NGhgkhTZY2
— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) August 24, 2024
Nico Williams couldn't manage to dribble past the defender and was easily shut down before he could create any chance of note. Kounde was weary of the pace possessed by the Williams brothers and was well-positioned to intercept the long balls that came down his side. While the Barcelona attackers were at the top of their game, the win would not have been possible without the likes of Kounde and Balde.
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