Hansi Flick wants to see Rodri and Pedri in the same midfield as soon as possible, and Thursday night is when the wait ends.

The German has confirmed that his summer marquee signing will be available for Barcelona’s second La Liga fixture of the 2026-27 season at Spotify Camp Nou, after training with the group over the past week.

“The plan is for him to have some minutes against Athletic,” Flick told his pre-match press conference on Wednesday, as relayed by the club.

“Rodri has a lot of experience and he’s a leader and with Pedri in midfield also we have more control of the game, which is what we need.”

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The £65.4m signing skipped the 5-0 opener at Elche

Rodri sat out the season-opening 5-0 win at Elche while he built up his sharpness with the squad, Goal reported.

The 30-year-old joined from Manchester City on a four-year deal, with Sky Sports putting the fee at £65.4m when the transfer was announced on Tuesday 18 August 2026. He leaves the Etihad after four Premier League titles, the Champions League and the 2024 Ballon d’Or.

A meeting with Terzic’s Athletic

The coach on the visiting bench is a familiar name to Flick. Edin Terzic, appointed by Athletic Club in May on a two-year deal running to June 2028, replaces the long-serving Ernesto Valverde for the Basque club’s new cycle.

“I know Edin Terzic well,” Flick said of the former Borussia Dortmund manager. “He’s a coach with a clear idea that fits in really well at Bilbao.”

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Barcelona will be without Gavi, who picked up a knee problem against Elche and is expected back within about a week. Lamine Yamal is in the squad but not at full sharpness.

“He’s a genius but he has just come back from a break and he’s not yet at 100%,” Flick said. “He has to go step by step.”

A third straight title in the sights

The reigning Spanish champions want a third La Liga crown in a row, and Flick is not hiding it.

“The team is hungry for a third consecutive league title,” he said. “We are ready and we will work and fight to achieve our objective.”

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Kick-off at Spotify Camp Nou is at 9pm local time on Thursday, 27 August 2026.

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