Jules Kounde And Memphis Depay Join Barcelona Injury List While On International Duty

Jules Kounde will return to Barcelona after sustaining a hamstring injury while on international duty with France.

The defender was subbed off 23 minutes into France's 2-0 win over Austria on Thursday night.

France manager Didier Deschamps was quoted by MSN after the game as saying: "Jules had a hamstring problem and Mike [Maignan] a calf muscle problem.

"They won't be available for Sunday's game in Denmark."

Kounde was not the only Barcelona star to pick up an injury on Thursday night.

Holland forward Memphis Depay also encountered a hamstring problem and was forced off during his side's 2-0 win over Poland.

Frenkie de Jong came off prematurely in that game too, but Holland manager Louis van Gaal was confident that the Barca midfielder was not badly injured.

He was less positive about Depay.

Van Gaal told SPORT: "We didn't take any risks with him (Depay). And neither with Frenkie de Jong. We changed him at half-time as a precaution because he had some tightness in his muscles.

"But Frenkie knows his own body well and believes he can play on Saturday.

"For Memphis to go off with such an injury does not bode well. I don't think he will play on Saturday."

Memphis Depay pictured walking off the pitch after picking up an injury during Holland's 2-0 win over Poland

IMAGO/ANP

Holland play Belgium on Saturday, needing to avoid a defeat by three or more goals in order to qualify for the UEFA Nations League finals.

A week later, Barcelona begin their busy October schedule with trip to Mallorca.

Barca have nine matches on their October fixture list, including three in the Champions League.

Their biggest game next month is on October 16 when they go to rivals Real Madrid for the season's first Clasico in La Liga.

Barca are likely to be without Kounde and Depay in that game.

Ronald Araujo is a doubt too. He lasted just five minutes in Uruguay's 1-0 loss to Iran on Friday before limping off with an apparent groin injury.