Kounde and Balde Out for Barca Ahead of Newcastle Champions League Tie

Barca suffers injury blow as Kounde and Balde hit with hamstring issues

Barcelona faces injury crisis as defenders Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde are ruled out of Champions League tie against Newcastle.

Barca's Kounde and Balde diagnosed with hamstring injuries, likely to miss upcoming La Liga games...

Barcelona is facing a major blow ahead of their Champions League last 16 tie against Newcastle, as defenders Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde have been ruled out due to hamstring injuries. The pair were taken off the pitch during Barcelona's 3-0 Copa del Rey semi-final win over Atletico Madrid on Tuesday, which wasn't enough to overturn the 4-3 aggregate deficit.

Kounde, who has a mid-belly hamstring injury, is expected to be sidelined for around a month, while Balde, with a distal hamstring injury, is likely to miss approximately four weeks. This setback adds to Barcelona's injury woes, with midfielder Frenkie de Jong also out with a hamstring injury.

Barcelona confirmed Alejandro Balde will be out for around four weeks with a hamstring injury. “The time of the recovery process (for Balde) will be four weeks,” the club said in a statement.

❗️𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲
First-team player Alejandro Balde has suffered a distal hamstring (biceps femoris) injury in his left thigh.

Examinations indicate that the recovery process will take approximately 4 weeks. pic.twitter.com/bBgPEtU9X0

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 4, 2026

Jules Kounde is likely to be sidelined for a similar period, with Spanish media reporting the 27-year-old France international will miss around a month with a mid-belly hamstring injury. The duo's absence will be keenly felt, with Barcelona's Champions League clash against Newcastle and LaLiga games against Athletic Bilbao, Sevilla, and Rayo Vallecano all on the horizon.

❗️𝗠𝗲𝗱𝗶𝗰𝗮𝗹 𝘂𝗽𝗱𝗮𝘁𝗲

First-team player Jules Kounde has suffered a mid-belly hamstring (biceps femoris) injury in his left thigh. His recovery progress will determine his availability. pic.twitter.com/M8YWrOp355

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) March 4, 2026

Kounde's injury puts him in doubt for France's friendlies against Brazil and Colombia in March, which could impact his World Cup prep. The France coach, Didier Deschamps, will be monitoring his progress closely.

Balde, meanwhile, isn't a regular for Spain, with Cucurella and Grimaldo favored by coach Luis de la Fuente. This injury doesn't drastically change things for Balde's international prospects.