Rodri Begins Barça Journey with Individual Training Plan
Rodri has finally stepped onto the grass as a Barcelona player – but not yet as one of the pack.
The marquee summer signing completed his first full session at the club’s training ground on Friday, working away from the main group under an individual programme designed to sharpen him up after his holidays. He had already taken part in the pre-match activation before the Joan Gamper Trophy, but this was the first proper taste of daily life at his new club.
The World Cup winner arrives in excellent shape, something he underlined himself during his presentation. Even so, the technical staff have put him on a specific plan to bring him up to the required rhythm for Hansi Flick’s Barça, SPORT reported.
“I’m ready to play already,” Rodri said when he was unveiled, addressing the concerns that had swirled around his back. “The back operation that was talked about was nothing, it was an outpatient procedure. I’m ready to train with the team and, when the coach decides, once I’ve got some rhythm, I’ll be ready to play. I hope it will be as soon as possible.”
For now, rhythm is the key word.
Barça returned to work on Friday after a rest day, beginning preparations for Sunday’s trip to Elche at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero. While the bulk of the squad trained together at full intensity, the 30-year-old Madrid-born midfielder followed his own schedule, short of the load his teammates were put through.
Even so, no one at the club is crossing him off the list for the first official match of the season. His status hangs on Saturday’s final training session and Flick’s subsequent press conference, which should offer a clearer picture of whether the new signing is ready for a debut in Barça colours.
Flick has already drawn a hard line in recent weeks: there will be no gambles with fitness. The German coach and his staff want every player to reach full condition, even if that means delaying first appearances for big names.
While Rodri was being eased in, Joao Cancelo finally felt like a Barcelona player again.
After several tense weeks waiting for his return to Spotify Camp Nou to be formalised, the Portuguese full-back trained normally with the group on Friday. No separate drills, no reduced workload – just another first-team player putting in the yards.
Whether Flick includes him in the squad for Elche is another matter. Before the coach can even think about using him, the club must register him. At this stage, none of the new signings have been registered for competition.
Even Andreas Christensen, who extended his contract this summer, is still waiting for his registration to be processed.
On the pitch, though, the work goes on. Cancelo joined all the available first-team players, along with a clutch of youngsters brought in to flesh out the session and impress the staff: Eder Aller, Xavi Espart, Jordi Pesquer, Ebrima Tunkara, Orian Goren, Hamza Abdelkarim, Brian Farinas and Alvaro Cortes.
The paperwork can wait a few more hours. The season will not.
