Flick's dream draws closer: Pedri prepares for his first appearance, and a new message regarding Álvarez

Hansi Flick has settled Rodri's situation ahead of the clash with Athletic Bilbao, confirming that the Spanish midfielder is now ready to make his Barcelona debut.

"Yes, he can play, and we have a plan for him to feature," said the German coach, with Rodri having trained alongside the team since Monday.

Flick also spoke enthusiastically about the prospect of pairing Rodri and Pedri in Barcelona's midfield, and he name-checked Marc Bernal too.

His comments, as reported by Mundo Deportivo: "Rodri is one of the best players, and he is a leader in every sense of the word. With Pedri we can control the game and the ball." He pointed to the Elche match, when Barcelona's possession and control improved after Pedri came on.

"I have a great desire to see the two of them play together at Barcelona, and they will be at the top level," he added.

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Flick confirmed that Gavi will miss the matches against Athletic Bilbao and Rayo Vallecano after the injury to his right knee against Elche. The player's condition has improved, he explained, and the tests revealed nothing worrying, but he needs about a week before returning.

The German is happy with his defensive options. He pointed to the versatility of Eric Garcia, Jules Koundé and Gerard Martín, all able to play in more than one position, alongside Andreas Christensen and Pau Cubarsí, whom he described as "one of the best defenders".

Cubarsí, he confirmed, will be kept ready, and Flick expects him to feature in a large number of matches this season.

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The Barcelona coach addressed the case of Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, and he was also keen to praise the sporting management for their work in bolstering the squad this summer.

Flick had sat down yesterday with club president Joan Laporta and sporting director Deco at the sports city. The Atletico striker's situation was on the table. Today, the German offered a brief but pointed response.

"The president delivered a clear message yesterday, and Deco and I are in complete agreement with it," Flick said. Pressed again on Julian and the club's efforts to build a competitive squad, he went further. "I don't want to talk about Julian. All that matters to me is the club's situation. We have made very good deals in the current transfer market, and our goal is clear, but the club must also think about the future, not just the present."

"As a coach, I will of course say: give me the best players I can get and the highest quality ones, but this may or may not work," he added. "I have complete confidence in the quality we currently have in the team."

Alvarez, meanwhile, did not train with Atletico Madrid today. Sources at the Madrid club put his absence down to "the player had a bad night".

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Flick continued: "Of course, we have to deal with certain situations, and perhaps find solutions for some matches, but the quality we have is huge."

The manager also praised the work being done by the club and Deco, saying: "The club and Deco are doing great work, because they are also looking to the future, to the next three, four or five years. This is a good thing and helps to stabilise the club, which is what we all want."

He signed off by hailing the summer's efforts to raise the level of the squad.

Six days remain until the window shuts. Barcelona, meanwhile, will keep exploring a move for Julian Alvarez, who still harbours a desire to pull on the Catalan shirt.

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