Flick praises Rodri as Barcelona complete preparations for La Liga
By Joel Masibo, August 20, 2026Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has expressed his excitement over the arrival of Spain international Rodri as the Catalan giants wrapped up their preseason with a 2-1 victory against Egyptian club Al-Ahly in the Joan Gamper Trophy on Wednesday, August 19, 2026.
Rodri completed his move to Barcelona on Tuesday, putting pen to paper on a four-year agreement after ending his spell with Manchester City. The midfielder reportedly turned down an approach from Real Madrid before choosing Barcelona.
Ahead of the Gamper Trophy clash at Camp Nou, Flick spoke to the club’s official media channels about the new signing and explained why he believes the 30-year-old will strengthen his team significantly.
“It’s a great opportunity for us to have Rodri. We were all 100 per cent convinced about signing him because he’s a fantastic player,” Flick said.
The German tactician went further in his assessment of the midfielder, labelling Rodri the “best No. 6” in the world. He also highlighted the player’s ability to control matches from midfield while providing defensive stability.
“He’s a player who brings something special to any team, and for me, it’s fantastic to have him here,” Flick said.
Rodri’s composure on the ball, passing range and understanding of positioning could make him a natural fit for Barcelona’s possession-oriented style. His experience is also expected to be valuable as the Spanish champions begin their title defence.
Barcelona entered the interval against Al-Ahly with a two-goal cushion. Young forward Hamza Abdelkarim opened the scoring before Raphinha converted from the penalty spot to double the advantage.
Al-Ahly responded shortly after the restart when Ahmed Sayed Zizo reduced the deficit five minutes into the second half. Barcelona were later given another opportunity to extend their lead, but Anthony Gordon failed to convert a late penalty.
The Gamper Trophy marked Barcelona’s final warm-up fixture ahead of the new La Liga season. Flick’s team will now turn its attention to competitive action, with an away trip to Elche scheduled for Sunday as the defending champions begin their league campaign.
With Rodri now part of the squad, Barcelona will hope his arrival provides an additional midfield dimension as they pursue another successful domestic season.