Barcelona's Kounde, Garcia should be fit for World Cup

Barcelona, Oct 30, 2022 (AFP) - Barcelona confirmed mild injury problems for Jules Kounde and Eric Garcia on Sunday, with the issues unlikely to keep the players out for long ahead of the World Cup.

Both centre-backs were taken off during the club's 1-0 win at Valencia on Saturday in La Liga, leaving their national teams France and Spain waiting for an update.

French defender Kounde said after the game his hamstring issue felt like a muscular "overload" rather than a strain or tear, and Barcelona said on Sunday in a statement that this was the case.

Spanish international Garcia's groin injury, meanwhile, is also considered a muscular overload.

The duo are likely to miss Barcelona's dead rubber Champions League fixture at Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday.