Barcelona’s Gavi ruled out of Athletic Club clash as Rodri steps up return

Barcelona midfielder Gavi has been left out of training ahead of Thursday’s La Liga meeting with Athletic Club, confirming that he will miss the match, while Rodri is reported to be ready to make his first appearance for the Catalan club.

According to Mundo Deportivo, Gavi did not take part in Barcelona’s final training session before the fixture. His absence means he will not be included in Hansi Flick’s squad for the game against Athletic Club.

Rodri, meanwhile, was said to have shown strong signs of being ready to play. The midfielder joined Barcelona this summer and is now in contention for his first appearance since completing the move.

The contrasting situations of the two players were the main developments from Barcelona’s preparations for the match. Rodri’s availability would provide a boost to Flick, while Gavi’s absence removes one option from the squad for the league encounter.

Flick addressed Gavi’s condition during his news conference on Wednesday and said the player was recovering well. The Barcelona manager indicated that the midfielder was in a much better state than he had been immediately after the team’s previous match.

“ We must wait a week until he returns to the team,” Flick said.

Barcelona had previously confirmed that Gavi suffered a bruise to his right knee during the meeting with Elche. The club said medical examinations showed that the injury was only a bruise and did not identify any additional damage.

The statement added that Gavi was expected to return to group training after a short period, although Barcelona did not specify an exact timescale for his comeback.

His absence from the final session before the Athletic Club match therefore provides confirmation that he will not be available for Thursday’s fixture, despite the club’s expectation that he will resume collective work soon.

Rodri’s possible debut will be closely watched after his arrival at Barcelona during the summer. The midfielder’s readiness gives Flick a potential selection boost at a time when Gavi’s knee problem has temporarily ruled him out.

The Athletic Club match is scheduled for Thursday and forms part of Barcelona’s La Liga campaign. Barcelona’s final preparations have consequently centred on Rodri’s potential first outing for the club and the short-term absence of Gavi, whose recovery will now continue away from the matchday squad.