Marca Reporter: Rodri Is Not Indispensable for Barcelona

At Beijing time on September 4, Marca reporter Amalio Moratalla published a column discussing the role of Barcelona new signing Rodri in the team.

Column article

I will try to make the logic clear to avoid mistakes. Rodri is our national team captain, a Ballon d'Or winner, and the midfield core of the Spain team, a true legendary player. This summer, several top clubs including Real Madrid and Barcelona extended offers to him, and his staying in La Liga is a fortunate thing for us. However, looking at the midfield structures of Real Madrid and Barcelona, I am really not sure whether he can secure a starting place in either team as firmly as Pellegrini often says.

During the negotiations, he was more inclined toward Barcelona and therefore missed the chance to join Real Madrid, but in my view, Barcelona actually did not need him that much. One example explains the situation: a few days ago against Athletic Club he played 28 minutes, and against Rayo Vallecano he played 27 minutes, but at that time the team was operating very smoothly and had not reached a point where it was impossible without him. Flick's team was in its best form then, and his appearances were more about finding match rhythm.

Rodri is a 'stabilizer' on the pitch. His movement, passing, presence, and style are all additional boosts for the team. If he can receive consistent playing time like he did under De la Fuente at the World Cup, he can certainly become Barcelona's midfield 'safety core'. But what I am curious about is, if Rodri is to play the full match, who will have to sit on the bench? If he is only used for major clashes—which he is indeed an ideal candidate for such tough matches—the effect may not be very good.

Players are not like a water tap that can be turned on whenever needed and shut off whenever desired. They need playing time, the coach's trust, and a stable rhythm of matches. Only with these conditions can they perform at their best.

Moreover, players gradually regain form during the course of competitions and then become 'deadly weapons'. At the World Cup, De la Fuente heavily relied on Rodri. He initially performed at an average level, but eventually won the tournament's best player award. During that period, he also put Pedri on the bench to try different combinations, and the decision proved to be correct.

But I really want to know how Flick will balance things so that everyone is satisfied and maintains good form. The World Cup is a short-term competition, but a long season includes La Liga, the Champions League, and the Copa del Rey. Theoretically, there is more playing time to distribute, but the important matches are limited. By then, I will see whether Rodri can demonstrate the kind of 'undisputed starting status' at the top level of football that people often talk about.