Barcelona blockbuster summer signing completes full training; in line to make his debut vs Athletic Club
After arriving as Barcelona’s blockbuster signing of the summer, Rodri is now closing in on his first appearance in a Barcelona shirt.
According to Mundo Deportivo, the Spanish midfielder once again trained with the group, and Hansi Flick’s coaching staff is working towards giving him his debut against Athletic Bilbao on Thursday.
Barcelona are preparing for their first league match at the Spotify Camp Nou, and Rodri’s potential introduction would add extreme excitement to a fixture that already carries plenty of importance.
As such, Rodri has now completed consecutive sessions with the group, suggesting his integration is progressing as planned.
With Frenkie de Jong the only first-team player unavailable through injury, Flick had almost his entire squad at his disposal as preparations for Athletic Bilbao continued.
Barcelona have been careful with Rodri since his arrival, but the midfielder is now moving closer to competitive action.
On Monday, he trained with the players who had either not featured or played fewer minutes in the victory over Elche.
While the regular starters focused on recovery work after the match at the Martinez Valero, Rodri took part in a more active session.
Tuesday brought an important next step.
With the full squad back on the training pitch, the World Cup winner completed the entire session alongside his new teammates.
Notably, it was the first time he had worked with the complete group in a full-team setting.
Barcelona will train again tomorrow before Flick faces the media in his pre-match press conference.
The manager is expected to provide a clearer picture of Rodri’s readiness, but the intention within the club is already becoming clear.
The midfielder is being prepared for minutes against Athletic Bilbao.
Rodri is likely to make his Barcelona debut vs Athletic Club. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
The biggest question is not whether Rodri is expected to play this season. It is how Flick plans to use him in his first match.
Barcelona have no reason to rush their new signing into a heavy workload immediately.
The most likely scenario is a controlled introduction, allowing Rodri to get his first minutes while the coaching staff continue to build up his fitness and understanding of the team.
That makes the Athletic Bilbao game an ideal opportunity.
Rodri has the experience to handle a high-profile occasion, while his presence could immediately give Flick a strong sense of control in midfield.
Lastly, his first appearance would also allow Barcelona fans to see how the manager intends to fit the new signing into his system.
