'A change is needed' - Barcelona star laments congested football calender

Koundé has started the new La Liga season with Barcelona, helping the team to two wins in their first three games.

The defender was in action during the La Liga champions 1-1 disappointing draw with Rayo Vallecano last weekend.

He stated that there is currently an oversaturation of matches, which could lead to fans losing interest in the sport. "This schedule doesn't just affect the players, but also their families.

"The club staff are also under immense strain with the non-stop matches," Koundé said, as quoted by Reuters, via Sportal.

He is set to feature for France against Ukraine in Wroclaw and against Iceland in Paris. The matches are scheduled for Friday and Tuesday.

Koundé, who plays for Barcelona, did not participate in the Club World Cup but will join the national team for the upcoming fixtures.

However, Rayan Cherki and William Saliba have been dropped from the Les Bleus squad due to injuries. Meanwhile, Ousmane Dembélé did not train because of a thigh muscle issue.

"It's an entire ecosystem. Sometimes in life, we stop appreciating things that happen too often. The more you see something, the more it becomes undervalued. That's what's happening in football right now. There are too many matches, and we need a change," the defender added.