Koundé has started only three matches for Barcelona at the beginning of the season, but he insists there is no injury behind his situation and accepts that it is a decision made by head coach Hansi Flick.
“It is a decision by my coach. I feel very good physically and I have no injury. If I have less playing time, it is because of last season, when I was well below my standards,” Koundé said.
The France international was speaking ahead of the meeting with Belgium and used the opportunity to address his current situation at Barcelona.
Rather than questioning Flick’s decision, Koundé believes the situation provides him with an incentive to rediscover the level he expects from himself.
“It is a consequence and a challenge that I accept willingly. I will have to work, as I normally do. I have to recover my best feelings. I know that when I am in my best condition, I will have playing time,” he added.
Koundé’s comments underline his belief that his position within the Barcelona team can change through his own performances. The defender has been a regular starter since joining the club from Sevilla, but competition for places has intensified.
His ability to operate at right-back as well as in central defence has made him an important tactical option for Barcelona, but his current status means he must fight to regain a more prominent role.
Rather than viewing the situation as a long-term problem, Koundé appears determined to use the period of reduced minutes to improve his form.
His admission that he was below his own standards last season is also significant. The Frenchman has taken responsibility for his performances rather than attributing his reduced role to factors outside his control.
For Flick, the situation provides Barcelona with competition between players who can operate across the defensive line. For Koundé, the challenge is straightforward: return to the level he believes should guarantee him regular football.
“I feel very good physically and I have no injury,” he stressed, making clear that his absence from the starting XI is not related to a fitness problem.
Koundé therefore leaves the international break with a clear objective. He wants to recover his best sensations and prove to Flick that he should once again be a first-choice player.
For now, he has accepted the decision and is focused on changing it through his performances.