A promising teenager from Barcelona youth ranks has encountered a significant setback following his senior team debut.
The 19-year-old, who had been tipped for a bright future, was forced to leave his first competitive match for the senior side prematurely due to a serious injury.
Medical evaluations have since confirmed the severity of the issue, with club doctors now preparing for a surgical procedure that could keep the young talent out of action for an extended period.
This development disrupts not only his current season but also his potential involvement in next season’s preseason plans, posing a challenge to his integration into Hansi Flick’s first-team squad.
The player in question is Dani Rodriguez, a dynamic winger from Barça Atletic, as reported by Mundo Deportivo.
Rodriguez suffered an acute dislocation of his right shoulder just 38 minutes into his debut against Real Valladolid, cutting short a moment meant to mark his breakthrough.
The injury, which requires surgery, is expected to sideline him for two to three months, ruling him out for the remainder of the season and jeopardizing his preseason preparations.
Rodriguez, who had endured an injury-plagued start to the year, made a great impression by scoring three goals and three assists in 382 minutes, playing a total of 10 matches for Barça Atletic and earning the trust of Flick.
The German coach, who was making lineup refreshes for the semi-final Champions League match vs. Inter Milan, could give Rodriguez, making his competitive debut (7th youth player Flick has played), a chance.
Rodriguez had previously only played 45 minutes when Barcelona played a friendly vs. Vissel Kobe in 2023 under Xavi Hernandez.
Now, it is up to Barcelona to support their young prospect through rehab, before they hopefully return fully fit to help compete for a first-team spot in late summer.
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