Rodri nears Barcelona debut as De Jong tests his knee

Rodri has taken another significant step towards his Barcelona debut. The midfielder completed his second consecutive full training session and could be given his first minutes against Athletic Club on Thursday. Frenkie de Jong also returned to the pitch, although describing it as a comeback would be premature.

Barcelona are preparing for their first league fixture at Spotify Camp Nou after beating Elche 5-0. Rodri was once again involved throughout the session and worked at the same intensity as the rest of the available first-team squad.

Monday’s workout had been slightly different. The players who started against Elche focused mainly on recovery, while Rodri trained with the substitutes and those who played fewer minutes. Barcelona’s official website confirmed that he completed the entire session without any problems.

On Tuesday, the full available squad trained together. It was therefore Rodri’s first complete session in the regular first-team structure, and reports in Spain suggest Hansi Flick is considering giving him a short appearance against Athletic Club.

His debut has not been confirmed. The midfielder’s response to the increased workload and Wednesday’s final session will influence Flick’s decision. The coach is expected to provide an update during his pre-match press conference.

De Jong’s situation remains considerably less advanced. The Dutchman stepped onto the pitch for individual work, but he did not rejoin the squad. The session was another controlled test of his injured right knee.

According to reports in Spain, De Jong continues to experience discomfort, particularly when slowing down after running. He is following a conservative recovery programme for a medial collateral ligament injury, and Barcelona have not announced a return date.

The same training ground therefore produced two very different updates. Rodri completed another full session and is approaching his debut. De Jong tested his knee and discovered that stepping onto the pitch is still not the same as returning to the team.

Rodri may play on Thursday. De Jong still does not know when he will be able to complete an ordinary group session.