‘We managed his minutes’ – Hansi Flick defends his selection policy after Barcelona lose Rodri to injury

Barcelona manager Hansi Flick defended his player rotation policy after midfielder Rodri suffered a hamstring injury against Aston Villa. The injury has ruled Rodri out of Sunday's La Liga match against Atlético Madrid. Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, Flick stated that he had communicated with the experienced player and that they mutually agreed upon the minutes played.

Writer Renato Gonçalves criticized Flick's handling of the situation, arguing that Rodri and Lamine Yamal are playing too many minutes. Gonçalves noted that while Pedri and Raphinha have been well rotated, relying on a player's willingness to play is flawed because athletes must sometimes be protected from overuse.