Barcelona · Copa del Rey · Defender · #2 · Portugal · 32 yrs
Barcelona take on Athletic Club for Matchday 2 of the 2026-27 LaLiga season, with Rodri starting this match on the bench. Rodri is on the bench, not in the starting lineup, as Barcelona host Athletic Club at the Camp Nou in their second match of the 2026-27 LaLiga season, with the Spanish midfielder still working his way up to full match fitness following his summer move to Catalonia. The 29-year-old missed Barcelona‘s season opener against Elche entirely, a 5-0 win, after his move to the club was finalized following an extended post-World Cup vacation and rehabilitation from a minor back procedure. With only a handful of training sessions under his belt at the time, head coach Hansi Flick opted to leave him out of the matchday squad completely rather than rush him back. Since then, Rodri has trained normally with the rest of the squad, completing full sessions through the week, which has allowed Flick to include him among the substitutes for the visit of Athletic Club. The plan is for the former Manchester City midfielder to see some minutes in the second half, marking what would be his official Barcelona debut. 𝐋𝐈𝐍𝐄 𝐔𝐏 🔵🔴 #BarçaAthletic pic.twitter.com/VrWIyNXY95— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona) August 27, 2026 Flick manages World Cup minutes as Barcelona rotate the squad With several key players still working back from a deep run at the 2026 World Cup, Flick has continued to manage his squad’s workload carefully rather than rushing everyone back into full 90-minute shifts. Jules Kounde, Joao Cancelo, Dani Olmo, and Anthony Gordon all featured in the tournament’s final weekend, and the German coach has been rotating them in and out of the lineup accordingly, a plan he laid out ahead of the season opener against Elche. “It is normal that the players who played in the World Cup don’t play the full 90 minutes, though they may have to play a few minutes. You have to manage the minutes, and it isn’t easy,” Flick said during a press conference, a philosophy that extends directly to how he’s handling Rodri’s integration into the squad.
Alejandro Balde has been the subject of ongoing transfer rumors at FC Barcelona, but the Spanish left-back remains confident in his desire to stay at the club and compete for his place this season. In recent days, rumors surrounding a potential exit for Alejandro Balde from FC Barcelona gained momentum. However, the defender has now confirmed his desire to stay and fight for his place in the squad. Barcelona manager Hansi Flick recently stated that he only wants players who are “100% committed” to the club. His words appeared aimed at Balde, who was reportedly exploring transfer options earlier in the window. Nevertheless, Balde has reconsidered his position. According to Fabrizio Romano, the left-back has informed Barcelona of his intention to remain and compete for squad minutes and a potential spot in the starting XI. Alejandro Balde faces fierce competition While Balde was once regarded as one of Barcelona’s premier young talents, injuries and inconsistent form have led the club to trust other options on the left flank. In Matchday 1 of the 2026–27 LaLiga season against Elche, Gerard Martin earned the start at left-back, while Balde was omitted entirely from Flick’s matchday squad. Hansi Flick, Head Coach of FC Barcelona, looks on with Alejandro Balde Currently, Balde finds himself pushed down the positional hierarchy. Joao Cancelo has returned to the club, providing top-tier versatility capable of playing left-back despite naturally favoring the right side. At present, Martin stands as the primary starter on the left side with Cancelo backing him up. On the right flank, La Masia rising star Xavi Espart has emerged as a key option alongside Jules Kounde, leaving Balde facing an uphill battle to regain Flick’s complete trust.
United’s transfer business isn’t over (Picture: Robbie Jay Barratt – AMA/Getty Images) Manchester United are reportedly also lining up a late offer to sign Eduardo Camavinga from Real Madrid and Barcelona star Alejandro Balde. A left-back has been on United’s radar all summer with Balde emerging as an option late on in the summer transfer window. Reports in Spain claim the 22-year-old is prepared to leave this summer having been left unconvinced by his long-term prospects under head coach Hansi Flick. Balde’s agent Jorge Mendes has held talks with United officials who would prefer to negotiate a season-long loan deal with an option to make the move permanent. Exclusive Premier League previews Get ahead of the start of the season with our weekly football newsletter. Sign up now for free. Barcelona would prefer a permanent deal, however. Spanish radio show El Larguero report United are now preparing an offer worth €30million (£25m) for the La Masia youth product, an offer that could be enough to tempt the Spanish champions into business. United’s business in Spain might not be done there with the report also claiming a bid for Real Madrid star Camavinga is now being readied. A midfield rebuild at Old Trafford looked to have been completed with the arrival of Carlos Baleba in a move that was confirmed by the club on Wednesday. Balde and Camavinga still of interest (Picture: Getty) He joins Youri Tielemans and Andrey Santos as the new recruits in midfield. United have explored a move for Camavinga this summer with questions over his role under Jose Mourinho emerging. Baleba’s arrival in Manchester appeared to signal the end of United’s recruitment drive in midfield but interest in Camavinga remains, according to the report. Baleba’s arrival was confirmed on Wednesday (Picture: Getty/Man Utd) Amid uncertainty over his future throughout the summer, reports in Spain have claimed the France international is eager to stay at Real and prove his worth. Balde meanwhile started 31 matches in all competitions last season with Barcelona signing Joao Cancelo on a free transfer this summer. He also faces competition from Xavi Espart who Flick has turned to at left-back. Comment now Comments Add Metro as a Preferred Source on Google Add as preferred source
While being one of the most highlighted signings of the summer, Rodri won't be taking part of FC Barcelona's debut game in the 2026-27 La Liga against Elche CF. Rodri stands as one of FC Barcelona‘s most high-profile marquee signings during the 2026 summer transfer window. Now, as the Blaugrana open their 2026-27 La Liga campaign away against Elche CF on Sunday, August 23, questions have arisen over his complete absence from the matchday squad. Rodri will not participate in the season opener against Elche due to a lack of match fitness. Having recently finalized his move to Barcelona following an extended post-World Cup vacation and rehabilitation from a minor back procedure, the Spanish international has logged only a handful of training sessions with his new club. Consequently, head coach Hansi Flick decided to leave Rodri out of the 23-man squad entirely, keeping him in Catalonia to complete his recovery rather than traveling to the Martinez Valero Stadium. In his absence, Gavi and Marc Bernal will be covering the double pivot in midfield, with Pedri also available in the rotation. Thus far, Rodri has been following a tailored conditioning program to regain peak fitness following Spain’s deep run to the 2026 World Cup final. During recent session blocks, the midfielder trained separately under an individualized regimen, making an appearance against Elche an unrealistic expectation for the coaching staff. ❗| Rodri is still training individually to gain rhythm. It seems like he will NOT be available for the match against Elche tomorrow. [@NachoJP_] #fcblive 🔴pic.twitter.com/zXAVdslMH0— BarçaTimes (@BarcaTimes) August 22, 2026 Speaking in Saturday’s pre-match press conference, Flick addressed Rodri’s timeline after the marquee signing was spotted participating in light gym work alongside the squad: “He also trained on the pitch, he’s very concentrated, he’s focused on going back, an our plan is that he’ll arrive on Monday with the team. This is the plan, and we’re happy that he’s here.“ The German manager also underscored the tactical value of incorporating a world-class holding midfielder into his scheme. “He’s a fantastic player, a leader, and his personality is really great,” Flick stated, hoping to integrate the veteran into the squad for Thursday’s clash against Athletic Bilbao on August 27. La Liga debut following the World Cup With the 2026 World Cup extending deep into July, La Liga adjusted its opening-month calendar to allow international stars adequate recovery time. In Barcelona‘s case, key figures like Jules Kounde, Joao Cancelo, Pedri, Dani Olmo, and Anthony Gordon, who featured in the tournament’s final weekend, will begin Sunday’s match on the substitute bench. Regarding his rotation strategy for World Cup veterans, Flick emphasized patience: “It is normal that the players who played in the World Cup don’t play the full 90 minutes, though they may have to play a few minutes. You have to manage the minutes, and it isn’t easy. There are no valid excuses. We have to start by winning the first match. It won’t be easy because Elche controls the ball and moves it quickly. It won’t be easy. We have tremendous quality and we want the three points.“
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