Kounde remains sidelined with a left ankle sprain and has been ruled out for Sunday's La Liga clash against Atletico Madrid after failing to return to team training Friday, according to Javier Miguel of Diario AS.
Analysis:Kounde's recovery continues to take longer than initially anticipated, with the French defender now approaching three weeks on the sidelines after suffering the injury against Betis on Oct. 17. He has already missed four consecutive matches against Paris Saint-Germain, Real Madrid, Alaves and Aston Villa, despite early expectations that he would only be unavailable for approximately one week. Persistent discomfort in his left ankle has complicated his recovery, preventing him from progressing beyond limited individual exercises. His continued absence from group training Friday confirms that he will not be ready for Sunday's important encounter, leaving coach Hansi Flick without one of his preferred right-back once again. Brian Farinas is expected to retain his starting position, while Eric Garcia (thigh) and Andreas Christensen (quadriceps) could return to provide additional defensive options. With the November international break approaching, Kounde will have additional time to recover before Barcelona's next competitive fixture.
