Barcelona to miss Rodri in Elche opener; João Cancelo eligible
Rodri trains alone and will miss the opener on 23 August 2026; João Cancelo was registered on 22 August 2026 and can play.
Barcelona will be without new midfield signing Rodri for their La Liga opener against Elche, while João Cancelo has been registered and is eligible to play.
Squad update ahead of the season curtain-raiser
Rodri has been training individually for the second consecutive day. Having returned late from the 2026 World Cup, he is not expected to feature in the team's first league match tomorrow, 23 August 2026.
Club staff say the plan is for Rodri to rebuild his fitness gradually; he is being eased back into group work and could make his debut in one of the following rounds, against Athletic Bilbao or Rayo Vallecano.
By contrast, João Cancelo was officially registered today, 22 August 2026, and therefore has the right to take part in the match versus Elche.
Barcelona will name their matchday squad ahead of kickoff, but the immediate picture is clear: Rodri remains unavailable for the opener while Cancelo is cleared for selection.
The team travels to Elche looking to start the La Liga campaign positively despite the absence of their latest midfield addition.
Photo: Radio Culer @RadioCuler (X)
