According to a report by Barca Universal on Friday, October 23, 2026, Barcelona defender Jules Kounde is racing against time to recover from an ankle injury ahead of Sunday’s highly anticipated El Clasico clash against Real Madrid.

The French international is reportedly determined to feature in the crucial encounter at Spotify Camp Nou and has been putting himself through an intense recovery programme in an attempt to regain fitness.

Kounde has been struggling with a sprained left ankle, which forced him to miss Barcelona’s Champions League defeat to Paris Saint-Germain. His absence from Friday’s training session has further raised doubts about his availability for the weekend fixture, with Saturday’s workout expected to provide a clearer indication of his condition.

The defender recently shared a video of his rehabilitation programme on Snapchat, showing him exercising in an outdoor swimming pool with the temperature reportedly around 10 degrees Celsius.

Despite the uncomfortable conditions, Kounde continued with the session as part of his efforts to accelerate his recovery. He also joked about the unexpected nature of the exercise, explaining that he had initially expected an ordinary gym workout before discovering that he would be training in the cold water.

The Barcelona star added that spending approximately 30 minutes in the pool eventually made him appreciate being back on dry land.

Pool-based rehabilitation is commonly used by injured footballers because the water reduces pressure on joints while allowing them to maintain some level of physical activity. However, completing such exercises does not necessarily mean Kounde is ready to cope with the intensity and physical demands of a competitive match.

His possible absence would create another headache for Barcelona manager Hansi Flick, particularly with Eric Garcia and Andreas Christensen also unavailable because of injuries.

One alternative could be youngster Xavi Espart, who impressed during Barcelona’s recent encounter with PSG, even finding the back of the net. His performance has strengthened his case for consideration at right-back if Kounde fails to recover in time.

Flick must now assess his defensive options carefully before making a final decision on his starting line-up against Real Madrid.

Saturday’s training session is expected to offer a better understanding of Kounde’s fitness, with his chances of featuring in Sunday’s El Clasico depending on how well his injured ankle responds to treatment.