Barcelona will be without Rodri for Sunday’s crucial La Liga meeting with Atletico Madrid, leaving Hansi Flick with an important selection decision ahead of a potentially decisive fixture in the title race. The midfielder’s absence comes at an inconvenient moment for the league leader, which travels to the Riyadh Air Metropolitano with only a two-point advantage over Diego Simeone’s side.
The clash offers Atletico the opportunity to move above Barcelona, while Flick’s team will be aiming to strengthen their position at the top before the November international break. However, the visitors will have to approach the contest without one of their most important midfielders.
The Blaugrana enter the encounter at the top of the standings with 30 points from 11 matches, two ahead of Atletico, which has collected 28. Simeone’s team has won seven consecutive league games, although its confidence took a hit after a 2-0 Champions League defeat against Bayern Munich.
Flick’s side, meanwhile, responded to consecutive defeats against Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid with convincing victories over Deportivo Alaves and Aston Villa. Barcelona has scored 46 goals in 11 La Liga matches, with Raphinha leading their attacking charge after reaching 15 league goals in his first 10 appearances.
Rodri’s absence could make the midfield battle more difficult, particularly against an Atletico team capable of pressing aggressively and exploiting mistakes. Barca will need De Jong or Bernal to step up if it is to leave Madrid with its advantage at the top of the table intact.
Why is Rodri missing Barcelona vs Atletico Madrid?
Rodri has been ruled out after suffering a minor hamstring injury in Barcelona’s 3-0 Champions League victory over Aston Villa. The midfielder experienced discomfort during Tuesday’s match and was substituted at half-time, prompting further medical examinations.
Barcelona subsequently confirmed that tests had identified an injury to the biceps femoris muscle in his right hamstring. The club did not provide a specific return date, explaining that his recovery would depend on his progress.
Initial reports suggest the 30-year-old could spend approximately three to four weeks on the sidelines. If that estimate proves accurate, he could miss several domestic fixtures and Barcelona’s Champions League meeting with Manchester City on December 8.
What did Flick say about Rodri’s injury?
Rodri’s injury has also raised questions about whether Barcelona could have managed his workload more carefully. The midfielder had become a regular presence since returning from back surgery, featuring in 11 of the club’s first 14 official matches and accumulating 945 minutes.
However, Flick rejected suggestions that his handling of the player’s minutes contributed to the setback. Speaking before the Atletico encounter, the Barcelona manager explained that he had discussed the midfielder’s workload directly with him. “You always can do things better. But I think in this case, I totally communicated with the player, and we managed everything, every minute that he’s on the pitch,” Flick said.
The German also acknowledged that decisions can be reassessed after an injury occurs, but maintained that the coaching staff and player had agreed on their approach. He added that the situation could be reviewed, although the injury had already happened.
