French international Jules Koundé, defender of Spanish club Barcelona, revealed the reasons behind his lack of starting appearances with Blaugrana this season.
The French player’s ranking in German coach Hansi Flick’s choices for Barça has declined, and he no longer guarantees a starting spot in the lineup, as Eric Garcia has become the first choice at right-back.
Koundé explains reasons for not starting with Barcelona
In comments reported by Spanish newspaper "Sport" regarding the limited minutes he has played since the start of the season, Koundé said: "I am not suffering from any injuries; it is the coach's decision. It is a result of last season, where my performance was below the usual standard."
He added: "It is a challenge I accept. It depends on me to regain my usual form, because I know that when I am at my best, I can earn playing time."
The Barça defender continued: "I have significant room for improvement and reducing errors when handling the ball, and I can also give the team a more direct and vertical attacking character."
Regarding Zinedine Zidane: "He is a coach very close to his players, talking to us frequently both on and off the pitch."
He added: "There has always been competition in the French national team due to the very high level of youth teams. I don't know if the competition is now greater than before, but it serves as motivation for me. True competition is with myself above all else."
The French star has participated in 5 matches with Barça across all competitions since the beginning of the current season, without recording any goals or assists.