FC Barcelona’s biggest signing of the summer so far, Rodri, is already preparing for his competitive debut, reports Mundo Deportivo.
After working individually last week because he joined the squad with limited pre-season preparation following his World Cup triumph and a minor back procedure, Rodri trained alongside his teammates for the first time on Monday.
As Hansi Flick had announced before the match against Elche, the midfielder worked with the players who either played limited minutes or did not feature at Estadio Manuel Martinez Valero.
The starters completed a recovery session instead. Among those who played against Elche, only Raphinha, Fermin Lopez, Karim Adeyemi and Pedri took to the pitch at the Tito Vilanova training ground.
Thursday could be Rodri’s debut
Rodri has now begun his return to full training with Thursday’s match against Athletic Club in mind.
Debut this week? (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
The game, at Spotify Camp Nou, is the postponed fixture from the opening round of La Liga.
It was originally delayed because several Barça players had not been available after representing their countries at the World Cup.
The session represents an important step for Rodri, who could make his first official appearance in a Barcelona shirt on Thursday.
A marquee signing
Barcelona signed Rodri from Manchester City this summer in a deal worth €76.5 million, including add-ons, beating arch-rivals Real Madrid in the race for his services.
Barcelona’s biggest signing of the summer. (Photo by Eric Alonso/Getty Images)
The 30-year-old midfielder arrives at the Spotify Camp Nou as a World Cup winner with Spain, even being named the Player of the Tournament after world-class displays.
A former Ballon d’Or winner, Rodri can be a signing that takes this Barcelona team to the next level, thanks to his experience, world-class quality, and leadership abilities.
The Spain captain underwent a minor back surgery after the World Cup, which delayed his pre-season preparations before he moved to Barcelona.
As such, he has not featured for the club either in the Gamper Trophy match or in the season opener against Elche.
But with Rodri now starting to work with the group, it appears only a matter of time before fans can see the marquee summer arrival make his official debut.