Rodri has hamstring discomfort after Barcelona's win; Atletico clash in doubt

Barcelona are monitoring the fitness of midfielder Rodri after he felt discomfort in his right hamstring during the 3-0 Champions League win over Aston Villa. The 30-year-old was not fit to start the second half, and his availability for Sunday's LaLiga match against Atletico Madrid is now uncertain.

Substituted at half-time

According to Mundo Deportivo, Rodri felt pain near the end of the first half and told Hansi Flick and the first-team medical staff about the problem. After talks at the break, everyone agreed that continuing would be an unnecessary risk, so Marc Bernal came on in the holding midfield role alongside Pedri. Bernal was reported to have performed well after the interval, helping Barcelona keep their defensive shape and limit Aston Villa's attacking threats.

Rodri is scheduled to undergo medical tests on Wednesday during the club's post-match recovery session. The assessment will determine whether he has sustained an injury and whether he can take part against Atletico. The Catalan club are reportedly reluctant to risk making the problem worse.

Workload under scrutiny

The situation also renews attention on Rodri's minutes under Flick. He has played 945 minutes in 14 appearances this season, making him one of the most used players in the squad. In Saturday's 6-1 win over Alaves, Barcelona led 4-0 at half-time, and Flick took Pedri off after 45 minutes while also giving Raphinha and Lamine Yamal rest periods. Rodri played the full match.

A selection decision ahead of Atletico

If Rodri is unavailable, Flick would face a significant selection decision for the Atletico game, which is a demanding fixture. Bernal's display against Aston Villa offers a natural option in the holding midfield position, although replacing Rodri's experience and positional influence would still be difficult for the team.