{
  "id": 7303919,
  "title": "Rodri’s rise under Hansi Flick is creating a problem for Barcelona homegrown star",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/rodris-rise-under-hansi-flick-is-creating-a-problem-for-barcelona",
  "topic": "culture",
  "section": "Culture",
  "published": "2026-09-14T11:10:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "Yahoo Sports",
    "slug": "yahoo-sports",
    "url": "https://sports.yahoo.com/articles/rodri-rise-under-hansi-flick-111000368.html"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Rodri's growing influence under Hansi Flick has created a challenging situation for Barcelona's homegrown midfield star, Gavi. The rising influence of the Spanish player has made securing his place in the team's midfield even more difficult, reports SPORT. Rodri made an impressive start to the season, earning a spot in Barcelona's opening league match against Elche. However, an unfortunate injury forced him to miss several crucial games, allowing him to build fitness and competitive rhythm before his return.\n\nRodri's emergence has altered the midfield dynamics in a significant way. His presence alongside Pedri in the team has provided Flick with a formidable midfield duo, making it harder for other players, including Gavi, to break through. Gavi's reduced playing time has been a consequence of Rodri's influence. Despite his value, Gavi has had to sit on the bench for games against Valencia and Levante, with just a brief appearance against Feyenoord.\n\nDespite the setback, Barcelona manager Hansi Flick still recognizes Gavi's worth. His intense training sessions and commitment to the team have impressed Flick, who is expected to give him more opportunities in the near future. While the season is still long, Barcelona needs diverse profiles to tackle the challenges ahead. Gavi's energy, aggression, and versatility are still highly valuable, particularly when matches demand greater intensity in midfield.\n\nThe real challenge for Gavi lies in regaining his spot in Flick's starting XI. While Pedri remains a stable option, Marc Bernal has also become Flick's preferred choice for central midfield when Pedri needs a break. Gavi now faces an uphill battle to re-establish himself in the rotation. Rodri's arrival has undoubtedly narrowed Gavi's margin for error, but it hasn't diminished his importance to the team.",
  "summary": "Gavi’s place in Barcelona’s midfield has become considerably harder to secure, with Rodri’s growing influence under Hansi Flick changing the balance of the competition around him, reports SPORT....",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "Yahoo Sports",
        "title": "New trend reveals what is really changing under Hansi Flick at Barcelona this season",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/14/new-trend-reveals-what-is-really-changing-under-hansi-flick-at",
        "published": "2026-09-14T08:15:00.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}