Rodri earns first Barcelona call-up as Balde returns for Athletic

Rodri has been included in Barcelona’s matchday squad for the first time. Hansi Flick has called him up for the Athletic Club game and outlined plans to give him his first minutes. Alejandro Balde also returns after missing Sunday’s win over Elche.

The midfielder, signed from Manchester City, has been training with his new teammates but is still awaiting his competitive debut. Flick said before the match that he intended to give Rodri a short appearance. He did not announce a starting place.

The coach wants Rodri and Pedri to help Barcelona retain possession and control opponents more effectively. He pointed out that the team gave the ball away too readily against Elche. A 5-0 win was enough for a celebration, apparently not enough to excuse the midfield from working on its passing. Flick’s comments were reported by Barça Blaugranes.

Balde returns after several days of discussion about his future. Following the Elche match, Flick explained that the defender needed time to clear his head. The coach has now confirmed that he remains part of the squad, while demanding full commitment and further improvement. A decision on whether he would play was left until matchday. Returning to the squad does not automatically mean reclaiming the left-back spot. Barça Universal.

Gavi, Frenkie de Jong and Roony Bardghji remain unavailable through injury. Marc Casadó, Héctor Fort and Álvaro Cortés are also absent amid reports linking them with departures. João Cancelo, Anthony Gordon and Karim Adeyemi are included. Full squad details.

Barcelona host Athletic on Thursday, 27 August, at 21:00 CEST at Spotify Camp Nou. It will be their first competitive home match of the season.