Barcelona defender has already been punished by Hansi Flick on three separate occasions | OneFootball

FC Barcelona have developed into a completely new team under the leadership and tutelage of Hansi Flick. Ever since the German manager arrived in the summer, the Catalan club has looked like a well-drilled unit whenever they play. A key factor behind this shift within Barcelona has undoubtedly been the work ethic that Flick has instilled.

Since the moment he stepped into the managerial role at Barça, there was always an expectation that Flick would bring about a new set of rules and a sense of work-ethic. Immediately, he made it clear enough just how much he values and tends to punctuality.

However, while most players have started to thrive under this new rule under the German coach, it seems that a certain player is still having issues with these standards from time to time. While no other player has been penalized yet for punctuality issues, one particular individual has already accumulated three punishments.

According to AS, French defender Jules Kounde is the only Barcelona player who has been punished by Flick due to his late arrivals to team meetings or planned sessions. It has already happened on three different occasions, and it has led to the defender being given the same exact punishment each time.

Normally a starter for the Catalan giants, Kounde ended up having to be benched for three different games. The first occasion came along during preseason, so the penalty itself was not too big of a punishment and it was something that the Frenchman could easily live with.

Unfortunately, that same issue ended up reoccurring during the official season as well, and on two separate occasions. Ahead of the game against Deportivo Alaves, for instance, the French defender was reportedly two minutes late to the team’s tactical meeting and ended up being benched for that game which Barça ultimately ended up winning 3-0.

Not too long after that, the game against RCD Espanyol also ended up with Kounde being benched. While initial reactions to the starting eleven assumed that the Frenchman was benched for rotational reasons, AS has stated that it was instead due to disciplinary issues as the Barcelona defender was only one minute late to the team’s meeting.

This rather strict schedule and routine that Flick has set up is quite an extreme measure. However, so far this season, it seems to be working well for Barcelona. As long as it keeps the players in check and ensures that they value punctuality and consistency, it could go a long way into helping them maintain their high level.