Barcelona full-back duo Kounde and Balde suffer thigh injuries

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ShareHansi Flick will be without both Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde as Barcelona prepare for key matches in LaLiga and the Champions League.Barcelona have confirmed that both Jules Kounde and Alejandro Balde suffered thigh injuries during their Copa del Rey clash with Atletico Madrid.Hansi Flick's side looked to overturn a 4-0 deficit in the second leg of the tie, but fell just short as they won 3-0 at Camp Nou on Tuesday.Kounde was forced off with an injury after just 13 minutes, though his replacement, Balde, was then substituted off in the 71st minute as Barca's injury list continues to grow.Frenkie de Jong recently suffered a hamstring injury, while Gavi, Robert Lewandowski and Andreas Christensen are also currently sidelined.Barca released statements on both players. About Balde, the club said: "First-team player Alejandro Balde has suffered a distal hamstring (biceps femoris) injury in his left thigh."Examinations indicate that the recovery process will take approximately 4 weeks."And on Kounde, they added: "First-team player Jules Kounde has suffered a mid-belly hamstring (biceps femoris) injury in his left thigh."His recovery progress will determine his availability."Balde and Kounde have started 24 games together in all competitions this season, with Barca winning 18 of those games (D2 L4) and averaging an impressive 2.7 goals per game while conceding 1.3 per game.Barca face Athletic Club in their next league game this weekend, before their Champions League last-16 first and second leg against Newcastle United come either side of a LaLiga match with Sevilla.