Barcelona Prepares for Rayo Vallecano Clash with Rodri's Plan

Barcelona eased into their weekend work on Saturday morning with one eye firmly on Monday night’s league clash against Rayo Vallecano at the Spotify Camp Nou – and another on Rodri.

Rodri on his own plan

While Hansi Flick put his squad through their paces on the Tito Vilanova pitch at the Joan Gamper sports city, Rodri followed a different route. As reported by Spanish newspaper Sport, the midfielder stayed indoors, working in the gym and training away from the main group.

It is not a setback. It is a plan.

Rodri, who made an impressive Barcelona debut against Athletic Bilbao, has been on an individual programme since he arrived. He has only joined a handful of collective sessions as the club’s medical and physiotherapy teams carefully manage his workload and rebuild his match rhythm.

Inside the club, there is no alarm over his physical condition. Quite the opposite: they see him as ready to feature and as a key piece in Flick’s project. But the context matters. Rodri returned from his holidays only a few days ago, coming off the emotional and physical demands of leading Spain to World Cup glory. Nobody at Barcelona intends to burn him out in late August.

The expectation is clear: Rodri should be available for Flick against Rayo Vallecano. A starting role, though, looks unlikely. Barcelona plan to drip-feed him minutes, easing him into the season rather than throwing him straight into the deep end.

Flick at full strength – almost

Out on the grass, the session began at 9:30 a.m. under Flick’s watch, with every available first-team player present. The German coach had the rare luxury of a near-complete group as he sharpened details for the third round of the 2026-2027 Spanish league campaign.

Among those on the pitch was Dominik Livaković. The Croatian goalkeeper, Barcelona’s latest signing, took part in his second training session as a Barça player, continuing his integration into Flick’s system and the dressing room dynamic.

Not everyone was involved. Gavi remained absent, joining long-term injury cases Frenkie de Jong and Roony Bardghji on the sidelines. Their continued unavailability keeps certain decisions straightforward for Flick, but it also underlines why Rodri’s gradual return and Livaković’s swift adaptation could carry extra weight as Barcelona navigate the early weeks of the season.