Confirmed: Barcelona squad list to face Athletic Club – Rodri in, Balde returns

Confirmed: Barcelona squad list to face Athletic Club – Rodri in, Balde returns FC Barcelona will take on Athletic Club later tonight in their rescheduled Matchday 1 fixture of the 2026/27 La Liga season at the Spotify Camp Nou. Having begun their campaign with an emphatic 5-0 win over Elche, the reigning champions will be eager to make it two in two with another statement victory against the Basque club. Rodri to debut Ahead of the game at Camp Nou, manager Hansi Flick has announced the squad list of Barcelona players who will be at his disposal for selection later tonight. And, the big news is that marquee summer signing Rodri has been included in the squad and could make his debut for Barça against Athletic Club, as alluded by Flick during his press conference on Wednesday. Fellow new arrival Joao Cancelo is also named in the squad, as are Karim Adeyemi and Anthony Gordon, both of whom made impactful debuts against Elche. Meanwhile, Alejandro Balde, who was left out of the squad for the season opener against Elche, has been recalled after the matters surrounding his future were resolved and it was decided that he would stay at Barcelona. Alvaro Cortes misses out as he nears an exit from Barcelona, while youngsters Brian Farinas, Hamza Abdelkarim, Eder Aller, and Xavi Espart, who has been registered as a first-team player, all featuring in the squad.