“This is not journalism, do better” - Barcelona star Jules Kounde hits out at ‘lie’ about him attending party after El Clasico; Journalist responds

Barcelona defender Jules Kounde has hit out at Spanish media after they reported he was partying following his club's recent El Clasico win. He called out Mundo Deportivo journalist Roger Torrelo, claiming he was not close to the place mentioned in the story.

Torrelo had also claimed that Pedri, Ferran Torres, Gavi, Marc Casado, and Hector Fort were with Kounde. The reported party took place after the 4-3 win over Real Madrid on Sunday, May 11, which left Barcelona seven points clear of their arch-rivals in the LaLiga race.

Taking to X (formerly Twitter), Kounde claimed that he was not at the party as Mundo Deportivo reported. He posted:

"Another lie… I wasn't anywhere close to this place. This is not journalism. Do better."

The Mundo Deportivo reporter quickly apologised after Kounde's post, claiming it was a mix-up. He posted:

"I'm sorry for the mistake, Jules. There was a mix-up about your presence at the Nike event, where Travis Scott was also present. Apologies, and congratulations on your season and the titles."

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Jules Kounde has been punished by Hansi Flick for disciplinary issues this season. The Frenchman was benched thrice for not coming to the team meeting on time. The latest was in February, when the Catalan side won 1-0 against Rayo Vallecano.

Hansi Flick on Barcelona star Jules Kounde arriving late for team meeting earlier this season

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick had confirmed reports of Jules Kounde arriving late to a team meeting in February earlier this year. He stated that it was important for players to stick to his instructions. He said (via Barca Blaugranes):

"Before the match, we have maybe two or three appointments for the players, meetings. And it is very important the players are there. It's not very difficult to do this. It's not only about me, it's about [respect] for the players, the club, the fans. I don't want to say more because I want to speak with him. But he was too late. It's a clear rule, so he cannot start. This is what happened today."

Jules Kounde has been linked with Manchester City and Chelsea, with both clubs reportedly looking to sign a right-back. However, the Frenchman is said to have no plans to leave and is keen on staying with the Catalan side.

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Edited by Sankalp Srivastava