Rodri's injury opens up a new scenario in Barcelona's midfield over the coming month. Hansi Flick must reshuffle his cards to compensate for the absence of a player who was a key pillar in the team's style of play.
With 945 minutes, Rodri has been the most-used midfielder under the German this season, ahead of Fermín and Pedri. Marc Bernal now looks the natural candidate to fill the holding role, but Frenkie de Jong is also putting himself forward for the responsibility.
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De Jong returned less than two weeks ago against Real Madrid, after a three-month absence with a knee injury. The summer disputes appear to be in the past. The Dutchman opted for conservative treatment, and Flick stripped him of the first captain's armband and handed it to Raphinha, while choosing Pedri as second captain. The player still enjoys the coach's appreciation and wants his key role back.
Flick has not yet used him in the holding role, though. He played 82 minutes in the heart of the defence against Alavés, and 36 minutes as an advanced midfielder against Real Madrid and Aston Villa, according to the Catalan newspaper "Sport", which reckoned the Dutchman "landed his coach in a problem".
Following the 3-0 win over Aston Villa, which saw him reach 300 matches in a Barcelona shirt, De Jong confirmed his readiness to return to the starting eleven. "Nothing is bothering me, I feel fine and I am motivated to start against Atlético," he said.
Confidence and caution
The player's confidence does not entirely match Flick's caution. The coach praised his potential, but pointed to his need for more time to regain full sharpness.
"Frenkie is not 100% ready, but he is at a good level," said the German. "This is normal after the injury. Step by step, he is an excellent player."
So Flick faces two options to cover Rodri's absence: lean on Bernal as the natural replacement in the holding role, or speed up De Jong's return and bring him back into the starting eleven. All before the important clash against Atlético Madrid at the Metropolitano, next Sunday in La Liga.