Rodri's absence presents Flick with a new challenge ahead of Atlético Madrid clash

Barcelona will be without Rodri against Atlético Madrid at the Metropolitano Stadium due to muscle issues he suffered during the match against Aston Villa, which presents coach Hans Flick with the challenge of selecting a suitable replacement in midfield.

Spanish newspaper 'Mundo Deportivo' has reported that Frenkie de Jong is the leading candidate to replace Rodri due to his ability to retain possession and link up with Pedri, noting that his exclusion from the starting lineup would be a major surprise.

Atlético possess dangerous attacking elements, most notably the speed of Julián, the movements of Álvarez, the precision of Alex Baena and Lee Kang-in in passing, alongside Barrios' ability to carry the ball under pressure, making ball retention and minimizing loss essential for Barcelona.

On the other hand, Mark Bernal is following in Rodri's footsteps in terms of playing characteristics, but acquiring leadership qualities takes time, while De Jong does not provide the same decisiveness in defensive recoveries and challenges related to transitions.

In another context, the newspaper warned of Barcelona's defensive struggles in dealing with set pieces, having conceded 18 goals this season, 8 of which came after the resumption of play, including 3 goals from corner kicks and 4 goals after losing the ball due to throw-ins in favour of the Catalan team, along with a goal from a throw-in by Rayo Vallecano.

Mundo Deportivo emphasized the need to address these details, as Abdessamad Ezzalzouli, Fofana, and Mariano capitalized on Barcelona's loss of possession following throw-ins, scoring from counter-attacks.