Barcelona faces fitness doubts over Jules Koundé before El Clásico

Barcelona's defender Jules Koundé, who had been doubtful due to an injury sustained earlier in the week, has fully recovered and returned to full training ahead of Sunday's El Clásico against Real Madrid, with expectations that he will reclaim his position on the right flank of Barcelona's defense. His availability is seen as crucial for managing Real's threat, especially from Vinicius Junior, and allows Barcelona to potentially shift Eric García back to central defense. However, several other key players remain sidelined, including Raphinha, who is still recovering from a hamstring injury and will miss the match, along with Marc-André ter Stegen, Gavi, Dani Olmo, and Robert Lewandowski. Coach Hansi Flick will also be absent due to suspension, with assistant Marcus Sorg likely to handle pre-match duties. Earlier reports had cast doubt on Koundé's participation as he missed multiple training sessions, but his full return to training has alleviated those concerns. Meanwhile, Frenkie de Jong has recovered from a recent illness and is expected to be fit for the game.