'A lack of respect!' - Barcelona star Jules Kounde fumes over rearranged game with Osasuna and insists 'players are not machines' as he hits out at La Liga officials

Barcelona defender Jules Kounde voiced his frustrations with La Liga officials following his team's 3-0 victory over Osasuna on Thursday evening. He urged them to be more considerate when scheduling fixtures, particularly after international breaks, emphasising that "players are not machines" and need sufficient rest to prevent burnout.

Barca were originally set to face Osasuna earlier this month, but the match was indefinitely postponed following the tragic passing of first-team doctor Carles Minarro Garcia. La Liga later rescheduled the game for March 27, a decision that frustrated head coach Hansi Flick, as it fell just 72 hours after the conclusion of the international break. This left players who had been on national team duty with little to no time for rest and recovery.

Indeed, Flick confirmed ahead of the Osasuna game that he would not risk starting Raphinha, Ronald Araujo, or Pau Cubarsi, due to the lack of rest. "Rapha and Ronald will not play. They are out. They have a long flight. It's not the best way. They have to recover, train.

"And at centre-back, Eric [Garcia] and Inigo [Martinez] will start for us. Pau will be on the bench. I hope we won't need him because also it's better he has two or three days more. He needs it."

“I’m angry about the date. It is not something normal. We have spoken many times about the calendar, we play too many games," Kounde told reporters (h/t Football Espana). "I know there are people who don’t understand it. I consider myself lucky to live off our passion, but it’s a lack of respect and not only to the club.

“I’m also talking about Osasuna, who had players away on international duty too, like Budimir, who I faced and who hadn’t had the necessary rest. It doesn’t matter the club [involved]. Osasuna, Barcelona, Real Madrid… it is a lack of respect for the players, not only for the clubs. We are not machines and to produce our game and play a good game we need rest. All institutions – not just La Liga – have to understand this.”

Kounde took to X to directly call out La Liga chief Javier Tebas and the Spanish Football Federation (RFEF). He reposted a video of his post-match press conference from Thursday, tagging both entities to highlight his concerns.

The Catalans moved three points clear of rivals Real Madrid at the top of the Liga table. Their next game is scheduled for Sunday, March 30, against Girona at the Montjuic.