Barcelona midfielder Rodri will miss Sunday's crucial La Liga clash against Atlético Madrid due to a minor right hamstring injury. The Spanish international was substituted at half-time during Barcelona's 3-0 Champions League victory over Aston Villa on Tuesday. Medical tests confirmed the injury, ruling him out of the top-of-the-table encounter at the Metropolitano. Barcelona has not provided a timeline for his return, but the international break following the weekend match offers a potential recovery window. Spain is scheduled to face Czechia on November 12 and England on November 15, with national team coach Luis de la Fuente set to announce his squad on Friday. If Rodri cannot join the national team, his next possible return would be Barcelona's home game against Villarreal on November 22.
Rodri has been a key figure for Barcelona since his summer transfer from Manchester City, making 14 appearances across all competitions this season and scoring one goal. Meanwhile, Barcelona's defensive injury crisis is easing, with Eric García and Andreas Christensen nearing their returns. However, Jules Koundé remains sidelined with an ankle injury, and Xavi Espart is expected to be out until the end of the year. Dani Olmo and Roony Bardghji are also still unavailable.
Barcelona enters the weekend with 30 points from 11 league games, holding a two-point lead over Atlético Madrid, who have won seven consecutive La Liga matches since their September loss to Athletic Club. Real Madrid, traveling to Valencia, sits just one point behind Atlético.
Source: ESPN Soccer · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing