Jules Kounde Reveals Which Real Madrid Player Gives Him the Most Trouble

If there's one thing Barcelona has demonstrated in their last two victories against Getafe and Osasuna, it's their burning desire to clinch the La Liga title as soon as possible. Real Madrid's win over Espanyol, however, postponed the Catalan celebrations. Yet, Hansi Flick's squad has a golden opportunity to be crowned champions in Sunday's El Clásico at Spotify Camp Nou, and they're determined not to let it slip away.

Jules Kounde made this clear to the club's media after Wednesday's training session. "The team is in good spirits, highly motivated. We want to win La Liga, and it would be incredible to do it at home. A draw would be enough, but we want to beat Real. The key to winning El Clásico will be applying the right pressure as a whole team, not just the defense. We need to be extremely focused," assured the French defender, who is expected to start at right-back.

In an interview based on fan questions, the French international admitted that Vinicius Jr., whom he will face again this weekend, "is the player who has given me the most trouble." He added, "He's a great player, very fast, and constantly changes direction. I also found it very difficult against Rafael Leão." Kounde, however, is fortunate to have excellent preparation for every high-difficulty challenge, as "Lamine also pushes me to give my all in training."

Jules displayed ambition for El Clásico on both a collective and individual level. "I hope to have a great game. I have many good memories from the matches I've played against Real," he affirmed, before recalling, of course, the extra-time goal in last season's Copa del Rey final: "That's one of my best moments since arriving at Barça."

Regarding his professional mindset, the right-back explained that he doesn't like "to live without pressure" and that he takes on "responsibility naturally, because it's part of an athlete's life." He continued, "I handle pressure well because it's part of our job, and we're used to it, and I like the feeling it gives me. From the outside, it might seem difficult, but it pushes us forward and helps us show our best version." Kounde also revealed that to concentrate before matches, he usually "listens to music with headphones."

When asked which teammate has the best fashion sense, Kounde pointed to Lamine. "He has a unique style. I don't always like his outfits, but I choose him," joked the defender, who added that he would have loved to have been Thierry Henry's teammate at Camp Nou and played alongside him.