According to Sport, Rodri has returned to normal training, and Flick is considering when to deploy him as a starter.

Rodri Hernández joined Barcelona recently and was unable to complete preseason preparation with his teammates. During the World Cup, he played to exhaustion, helping Spain win the tournament, so he needs an adaptation period.

Rodri has been following a special training plan, which concluded after the match against Rayo Vallecano. Starting this week, he has resumed normal training, and Flick is considering when to deploy him as a starter. This opportunity could come in Sunday's away match against Valencia, or he may wait until next Wednesday's crucial match against Feyenoord.

The coaching staff is carefully managing Rodri's playing time and training load, aiming to preserve his peak performance throughout the long and demanding season. Barcelona's Ballon d'Or winner is managing his energy, hoping to regain full fitness as quickly as possible.

Rodri played 27 minutes against Athletic Bilbao and 26 minutes against Rayo Vallecano. He helped stabilize the team when the pace of play might have been too quick, while Marc Bernal not only completed his role but also performed at a high level.

Bernal's impressive performance means Barcelona is not rushing to force Rodri back. The team plans to rotate both players, but in important matches, once Rodri has fully recovered, the former Manchester City player is still expected to be the starter.

Champions League

Whether as a starter or coming off the bench in the second half against Valencia this Sunday, Rodri will play an important role. At 00:45 Beijing time (CEST) on September 10, Barcelona will face Feyenoord at Camp Nou, and Rodri is expected to be in the starting lineup.

Barcelona's schedule is very demanding before the international break. After playing Feyenoord, Barcelona will travel to Levante on September 13, host Racing Santander on September 16, and visit Sevilla on September 19, finishing this league run at Estadio Pizjuán. The start of the season is very difficult, and the team must allocate their physical resources wisely.

World Cup-Winning Captain

Additionally, Rodri will be included in the squad for four Nations League matches. He is Spain's captain and, according to Luis de la Fuente, the "Messi of Spain," and will make his debut for the national team at Wembley on September 27, taking on the important task of organizing the midfield.

Spain will also play the Czech Republic and face Croatia twice during this two-week international break. Rodri will play a crucial role in these high-intensity matches, but Luis de la Fuente always prioritizes player health and will not force him to play.

At this point, Luis de la Fuente also has an excellent backup in Zubimendi. Although this midfielder has lost his starting position at Arsenal, the La Rioja coach still trusts the former Real Sociedad player greatly. In the World Cup final, an exhausted Rodri was replaced by Zubimendi in extra time, and the latter became the team's engine.

Both Barcelona and the Spanish national team are fortunate to have players who can give the Madrid native rest. Barcelona has the young Marc Bernal, and Spain has Zubimendi, alongside players like Gavi who can adapt to playing in the defensive midfield role.

Rodri came to Barcelona to be a leader. In a short time, he has earned the respect of the dressing room through his commitment, with young players admiring him and veterans seeing him as a benchmark.

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