Jules Koundé's fight for a starting spot rumbles on at both Barcelona and France, with Zinedine Zidane unable to shift the defender from a bench role he has grown used to in most of his side's matches, according to Spanish newspaper "Mundo Deportivo".
The 27-year-old reported for France duty having come off the bench in six of Barcelona's seven La Liga matches, with the Rayo Vallecano clash his only start. He also missed out entirely against Levante, Racing Santander and Sevilla, after a substitute appearance against Valencia that followed Eric García's injury.
Zidane handed Koundé an early lift when he took charge of France, naming him fourth captain behind Kylian Mbappé, Ousmane Dembélé and Adrien Rabiot. He also started him at right-back in the 1-0 win over Turkey, where the defender played every minute.
Then everything shifted. Zidane turned to Juventus man Pierre Kalulu at right-back against Belgium and Italy, leaving Koundé an unused substitute in both. The upcoming meeting with Belgium looms as a key test of whether Kalulu has nailed down the shirt, or whether Zidane goes back to rotating his options.
Things look no rosier at Barcelona. Hansi Flick has already confirmed that Eric García is his man at right-back, and has spoken to Koundé about a possible return to centre-back, the position in which he shone during his first season at the club.
Flick said of Koundé: "He is a top-class professional. He has to compete, and he gives his all in training. I also spoke with him about the possibility of playing as a centre-back, as he put in a wonderful performance in his first season with us and we want to see him at the same level again".
Competition in the squad serves Barcelona well, the German coach added, insisting his calls always come down to what suits the team rather than any single player.
Koundé now faces a double battle to win back his place. Once a central figure for club and country, he finds himself fending off serious rivals, with every sign that his fight to force his way back into the XI is far from finished.