Rodri Joins the List of Absentees for the National Team

No sooner had the Spanish national team begun their preparations for the upcoming World Cup 2026 qualifiers against Georgia and Bulgaria, than problems started to mount for coach Luis de la Fuente in the form of injuries. First, it was Lamine Yamal, following a series of disagreements that highlighted the lack of harmony between Hansi Flick and De la Fuente, as well as between Barça and the FEF. On Saturday, it was Alejandro Grimaldo, and on Sunday, Rodri Hernández was the latest to drop out.

These absences add to the already known ones of regular call-ups like Fabián, Nico Williams, Gavi, Fermín, Carvajal, and Ayoze, who were not even summoned by the Riojan coach, although Athletic's winger reappeared this weekend against Mallorca. In any case, the numerous absences should not be an obstacle for Spain to overcome these two commitments, as they are vastly superior both individually and collectively to these two mediocre opponents.

Before the Federation made an announcement, it was Rodri who declared his withdrawal after being substituted in the match against Brentford. Rodri, who has struggled to return to form after a severe knee injury that kept him out of the national team for a year, confirmed he would remain in Manchester to recover and would miss these two fixtures for La Roja in this international window.

With the score at 0-1 following Haaland's early goal and before the first 20 minutes of play had elapsed at the Community Stadium, Rodri clutched the back of his right thigh just after making a pass. The play seemed risk-free, but it's possible the muscle twinge was due to the strain he had to exert in the previous control. Immediately, Rodri raised his hand to request a substitution. Neither he nor Guardiola wants to take risks. Without even warming up, Nico González removed his bib and entered the scene.

The Catalan coach is particularly cautious about Rodri's progress, a key player for both City and Spain, with the upcoming summer World Cup in mind. Guardiola had already left him out of the matches against Huddersfield and Burnley, and before the Champions League tie with Monaco, he mentioned that Rodri had relapsed with his knee issues. In this case, it has been muscle discomfort.

After being substituted against Brentford, Rodri remained seated on the bench with a bandage on his leg, continuously giving instructions to his teammates as if he were Pep's assistant. After the match, he admitted to feeling "fine" despite suffering from hamstring discomfort. "It doesn't seem too serious," he said. Nevertheless, he made it clear he would stay in Manchester. "Now comes the break, but I think for the match after... That's the goal," he stated.