Barcelona - 'Athletic Bilbao'... Rodri to feature

The match was originally scheduled to take place during the first round of the Spanish La Liga, before being postponed due to the delayed return of international players following their participation in the 2026 FIFA World Cup held in North America.

Barcelona’s manager, German coach Hansi Flick, confirmed that the former Manchester City player would be included in the squad and is likely to come on as a substitute.

“Rodri has more experience and is a true leader. Together with Pedri, they can control the ball, dictate the flow of the match, and dominate their opponents,” he said.

On another note, the German coach hinted that the club might conclude the summer transfer window without signing a new striker if they fail to secure Argentine forward Julian Alvarez from Atletico Madrid.

On Wednesday, Spanish club Atletico Madrid commented on statements made by Barcelona president Joan Laporta regarding the potential signing of Alvarez.

Laporta said: “We are very interested in signing Julian Alvarez, and we hope our offer will be accepted.” He added: “We remain committed to our offer and hope to finalize the deal. Julian Alvarez wants to join Barcelona, and we respect Atletico Madrid and its management.”

Barcelona began the season by deploying Brazilian winger Raphinha in the striker role in their 5-0 victory over Elche on Sunday.