Barcelona Prepares for Rayo Vallecano Clash with Rodri's Return
Barcelona were back in the grind on Saturday morning, sharpening up for Monday night’s league clash with Rayo Vallecano at the Spotify Camp Nou. Third matchday of the 2026-2027 season, early days in the Hansi Flick era – and all eyes are still on Rodri.
Not on the pitch with the rest, though.
Rodri on his own plan
While Flick put the group through its paces on the Tito Vilanova pitch at the Joan Gamper sports city, Rodri followed a different script. As reported by Spanish outlet Sport, the midfielder stayed in the gym and worked away from the main session, sticking to the individual programme the club designed for him.
Barcelona are not worried. Far from it. Inside the club, there is calm over his physical condition and confidence about his role in Flick’s project. The plan is simple: no rush, no risks.
Rodri has already shown a glimpse of what he can bring. He debuted against Athletic Bilbao and left a strong impression, but since signing he has only taken part in a small number of full sessions. The medical and physiotherapy staff are managing his workload step by step, trying to rebuild his match rhythm after a demanding summer.
And that summer matters. He returned from holiday only a few days ago, coming off the emotional and physical high of leading Spain to World Cup glory. Barcelona know exactly what they have and intend to protect it.
The expectation is that Rodri will be available for Flick against Rayo Vallecano on Monday. A place in the starting XI, though, looks unlikely. The club want his return to competitive minutes to be phased in carefully, not thrown into the deep end in late August.
Flick at full strength – almost
Out on the grass, the picture was brighter for Flick. The session kicked off at 9:30 in the morning, with the coach able to call on every available first-team player.
That included Dominik Livaković, the club’s latest signing, who went through his second training session as a Barcelona player. Early days for the goalkeeper, but he is already being folded into the group dynamic.
There were a few notable absentees. Gavi did not take part, while long-term injury cases Frenkie de Jong and Roony Bardghji also remained sidelined. Three important names missing, yet the overall feeling around the camp is one of control and planning rather than crisis.
Rayo Vallecano arrive next, a test of Flick’s early work and of Barcelona’s squad depth. The question now is not whether Rodri will matter this season – that seems certain – but how quickly he becomes the heartbeat of this new-look side.
