Spain's Rodri is closing in on a starting berth at Barcelona. He has completed his rehabilitation and specific fitness programme, leaving him ready to train normally with the rest of his team-mates. Coach Hansi Flick is now weighing up exactly when to hand him a place in the eleven.
Rodri joined Barcelona's ranks late, denying him a full pre-season with the team. He also needed extra time to adapt after his intensive involvement with the Spain national team at the World Cup, where he worked tirelessly to help his country claim the title.
The Spanish midfielder followed a special programme that ran until Barcelona's clash with Rayo Vallecano, then began normal training this week. That has prompted the technical staff to study the best moment to grant him a starting role.
According to newspaper "Sport", Flick feels torn over the Spaniard. He may throw Rodri into the starting line-up for Sunday's trip to Valencia at the Mestalla, or he may prefer to hold off until a tougher test against Feyenoord in the Champions League next Wednesday.
Precision is the watchword. The technical staff are managing Rodri's involvement and his training loads carefully, aiming to bring him to peak physical condition through a long and gruelling season without draining him at the outset.
Rodri has so far featured for 27 minutes against Athletic Bilbao, then another 26 against Rayo Vallecano. Across both appearances he gave Barcelona more calm and control over the tempo, particularly in the moments when the team's performance tended towards excessive speed.
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Marc Bernal, meanwhile, has delivered outstanding levels during Rodri's absence. He did not just cover for him, but performed so strongly that Barcelona feel no need to rush their new star straight into the side.
Bernal's form hands Flick the chance to rotate the pair. Even so, expectations point to Rodri becoming the primary choice in the big matches the moment he reaches full physical readiness.
The congested schedule frightens Flick
Rodri is expected to play an important role against Valencia, whether he starts or comes on again in the second half. His chances of starting against Feyenoord in the Champions League on Wednesday 9 September at the Spotify Camp Nou look far greater.
A fixture pile-up awaits before the international break. Barcelona meet Feyenoord on Wednesday, then face Levante on Sunday 13 September at the Ciudad de Valencia stadium, before hosting Racing on Wednesday 16 September and closing this phase of La Liga against Sevilla on Saturday 19 September at the Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán stadium.
That brutal run forces the technical staff to handle their players' physical loads with care, chief among them Rodri, whom Barcelona want to prepare in the best possible manner.
World champions' captain prepares to return with Spain
The pressure on Rodri does not end at Barcelona. He is also expected to join the Spain national team during the coming international break, having become captain of "La Roja" after leading them to the World Cup title.
Rodri will be with Spain for a window that includes four matches in the UEFA Nations League, among them a clash against England at Wembley on 27 September, in the Spanish team's first appearance since adding the second star to its shirt.
Spain also face the Czech Republic and Croatia, whom they meet twice, across the two-week international break.
Rodri matters hugely to the national team, yet Luis de la Fuente is always careful not to gamble with his players' physical condition. That gives him flexibility over the Barcelona star's minutes.
De la Fuente also possesses a reliable alternative in Martín Zubimendi, who recently lost his starting place at Arsenal. The setback has not dented the coach's faith in him, as the World Cup final made clear: Zubimendi came on for the exhausted Rodri in extra time and delivered an influential display.
Both Barcelona and Spain hold options capable of giving Rodri periods of rest. Bernal is one solution available to Flick, while Zubimendi can cover for him with the national team, alongside the possibility of deploying other players such as Gavi in front of the defensive line.
Rodri remains one of the most prominent leaders Barcelona are counting on. In a short period he has won his team-mates' admiration through his commitment on and off the pitch. The young players view him as a role model, while the experienced figures inside the dressing room see him as one of the team's most important reference points.
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