Rodri is recovering faster than Barcelona expected, prompting Hansi Flick’s coaching staff to bring forward his potential return as the club prepare for two La Liga matches in four days.
The Spanish midfielder injured his right hamstring in the 3–0 Champions League win over Aston Villa on 3 November. He was initially expected to miss four to five weeks, putting the 8 December match against his former club Manchester City among the possible dates for his return.
According to AS, Barcelona are now targeting the home game against Atlético Madrid on Wednesday, 2 December. The match at Camp Nou, part of La Liga’s 23rd round, has been brought forward because of the Spanish Super Cup. Rodri could start if he continues to make progress in training.
Barcelona are also considering including Rodri in the squad to face Deportivo La Coruña at Riazor on Sunday, 29 November. If the medical staff clear him to play, he could get a few minutes to test his fitness and regain some match sharpness before facing Atlético.
Rodri is still expected to miss the league game against Villarreal on 22 November and the Champions League trip to face Azerbaijani side Sabah in Baku three days later. He also missed Barcelona’s first meeting with Atlético this season, a 2–1 win at the Metropolitano thanks to a brace from Fermín López.
Flick is expected to have Dani Olmo back for the Villarreal game, Barcelona’s first after the international break. Olmo has been out for nearly a month after injuring his left adductor in a challenge against Paris Saint-Germain in the Champions League on 20 October.
Olmo’s return would give Flick another option behind the striker, while Rodri would restore a specialist holding midfielder to a squad facing four games in 11 days. Barcelona signed him from Manchester City last August on a contract until 2030.
