The awaited premiere in midfield

Rodri is set to play his first minutes for Barcelona. Hansi Flick confirmed ahead of Thursday’s clash with Athletic Club that the Spanish midfielder is ready to feature after completing his first training sessions with the squad.

“Yes, he can play. We’re planning for him to play,” Flick said when asked directly about his new signing, who has been training with his teammates since Monday.

His potential debut will be one of the main attractions at the Camp Nou. After completing one of the biggest moves of the summer, Barcelona can finally begin to see how Rodri fits into a midfield that already features Pedri and Marc Bernal.

Flick eager to see Rodri and Pedri together

The prospect of Rodri lining up alongside Pedri has created plenty of excitement, and Flick made no attempt to hide how much he wants to see the partnership in action.

“Rodri has more experience and is a total leader. With Pedri, we can control the game and the ball,” the German said, pointing to the impact the Canary Islander made after coming on against Elche.

Flick went even further when discussing the pair: “Rodri is one of the best, and we'll see him alongside Pedri. I'm looking forward to seeing them play together at Barça. They'll be at a top level.” He also mentioned Bernal as another important option in midfield.

Gavi ruled out for Barcelona's next two games

There was less encouraging news regarding Gavi. The midfielder is still recovering from the right knee contusion he suffered against Elche and will miss the games against Athletic Club and Rayo Vallecano.

Flick, however, played down concerns over a more serious injury. “He's doing well. He feels much better than after the game. The images show that the situation isn't bad. We have to wait a week for him to return,” he explained.

Barcelona will therefore give Gavi the necessary time to recover rather than risk bringing him back too soon.

Flick backs Barcelona's defensive options

Flick also made it clear he is comfortable with the defenders currently at his disposal. Eric García, Jules Koundé, Gerard Martín, Andreas Christensen and Pau Cubarsí give him several options across the back line.

The Barcelona coach reserved particular praise for Cubarsí, who was named the World Cup's Best Young Player, although Flick suggested he intends to manage the youngster's workload after a demanding previous campaign.

Flick also discussed Edin Terzic, who replaced Ernesto Valverde as Athletic Club coach. The German knows his compatriot well and expects a clearly structured opponent, but much of the attention at the Camp Nou will inevitably be elsewhere: Rodri's first appearance in a Barcelona shirt.

The 3 keys to the press conference

• Confirmed premiere: Hansi Flick officially announced that Rodri will see his first minutes as an FC Barcelona player against the Basque side.
• Medical precaution: Gavi will be sidelined for a week after suffering a knee contusion, missing the games against Athletic Club and Rayo Vallecano.
• Defensive trust: The manager backed his squad's options at the back and highlighted the versatility of players like Eric Garcia and Jules Kounde.

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