Barcelona's Rodri Ruled Out of Atletico Clash With Hamstring Injury

Barcelona midfielder Rodri will miss Sunday's LaLiga match against Atletico Madrid with a hamstring injury, the club said on Wednesday, November 4.

The Spain international came off at halftime during Tuesday's 3-0 Champions League victory over Aston Villa after feeling muscle discomfort. Medical tests on Wednesday confirmed the injury and ruled him out of the Atletico match.

What the tests showed

Barcelona said the tests confirmed a minor injury to Rodri's right hamstring. The club statement, quoted by Reuters, said: "The tests have confirmed a minor injury to his right hamstring (biceps femoris muscle)."

The club gave no specific return date. Barcelona said his recovery timeline will depend on how the injury progresses. That leaves the confirmed absence at one match for now, Sunday's game at Atletico, with no official date set for his return.

A top of the table match without Rodri

Sunday's match, on November 8, is a meeting of the top two teams in LaLiga. Hansi Flick's Barcelona lead second placed Atletico by two points. A win for Barcelona would stretch that lead. A win for Atletico would move Atletico above Barcelona at the top.

Rodri will watch that match from the sidelines instead of playing in it. He left the Villa game at halftime on Tuesday after feeling the discomfort, and Wednesday's tests turned that early exit into a confirmed absence for Sunday.

Bernal and the midfield choice

Marc Bernal replaced Rodri at halftime against Aston Villa. RotoWire reported that Bernal could see increased playing time in midfield during Rodri's absence.

That change started on Tuesday night, when Bernal came on for the second half of the 3-0 win. Barcelona now have to plan Sunday's midfield at Atletico without Rodri, and Bernal is the player who stepped into that role when the injury happened.

Reported estimate, not a club date

Spanish reporting carried by Barca Universal, citing Carlos Monfort of SPORT, puts the expected absence at about four weeks, or about one month. That figure is a reported estimate only. It is not a return date confirmed by Barcelona.

The club's own position is narrower. Barcelona have confirmed the injury, confirmed that Rodri misses the Atletico match, and said the timeline depends on how his recovery progresses. Any return date beyond Sunday remains unconfirmed until the club gives one.

For now, the facts are clear and limited. Rodri felt muscle discomfort against Aston Villa on Tuesday, left the match at halftime, and tests on Wednesday found a minor injury to his right hamstring. He is out of Sunday's match at Atletico Madrid, a game between first and second in LaLiga, separated by two points.