On his first day as a starter, he delivered his own mini-lecture: tackling, intercepting, and distributing the ball. More importantly, he had a dominant Pedri by his side.
The season is long, and no one knows what will happen around the corner, but Barcelona started like a hurricane. While most of the World Cup players were still on vacation, Flick wasted no time in the preseason training at St. George's Park. It felt like the crisp English countryside infused the team with an extra layer of ambition. In four games, Barcelona have already scored 17 goals. If this really was his last game at Mestalla, then Rodri and Pedri, the two metronomes, along with four other key players, have left a lasting impression; Yamal, Fermín, Rafinha, and Gordon all played with great enthusiasm. On his first day as a starter, Rodri gave a mini-lecture: tackling, intercepting, and distributing the ball. More importantly, he had the dominant Pedri alongside him, whose physical condition this season is even better than at the World Cup. Both World Cup winners left Valencia to applause. Those who doubted their ability to coexist at Barcelona can now rest assured. Rodri's playing style is a perfect fit for Barcelona, bringing stability to a team that thrives on speed but also needs a strategic mind in crucial matches. Barcelona smelled blood and scored 5 goals, with Olmo being the clearest indicator of their direction: he provided two assists within 5 minutes. Now, everyone at Barcelona wants to play happily.
