Raphinha and Fermín seal Barcelona's first home win as Rodri makes debut

Barcelona launched their home La Liga season with a composed 2-0 win over Athletic Club at Spotify Camp Nou on Friday, with Raphinha and Fermín doing the damage and Rodri making his long-awaited debut for the club.

Raphinha broke the deadlock in the 37th minute, rounding Athletic Club goalkeeper Unai Simón after a perfectly weighted pass from Pedri split the visiting defence. Fermín wrapped up the points in the 82nd minute, though Simón had kept the scoreline respectable with several important saves across the 90 minutes.

The headline moment off the pitch arrived in the 62nd minute, when Rodri entered the fray as a second-half substitute alongside Dani Olmo. The Spain midfielder’s appearance marked a significant milestone for Hansi Flick’s squad, and the clean sheet provided an ideal backdrop for his introduction.

The victory gives Barcelona a perfect start to their home campaign and builds on the momentum Flick’s side will need heading into a demanding Champions League schedule. The club’s confirmed league-phase opponents were also announced on Friday: Manchester City, Aston Villa, Feyenoord, Como 1907, Paris Saint-Germain, Sporting CP, Galatasaray and Sabah FC, according to FC Barcelona’s official site.

That draw presents a varied mix of European heavyweights and emerging challengers. Clashes with Manchester City and Paris Saint-Germain will attract the most attention, while fixtures against Como 1907 and Sabah FC offer less familiar opposition in what is the expanded Champions League format.

For now, Flick can take satisfaction from a disciplined home performance. Pedri’s creative influence in the build-up to the opener underlined his importance to the side, while Fermín’s late goal demonstrated the depth of attacking options available. With Rodri now integrated into the squad, Barcelona’s midfield options look considerably stronger than they did at the start of pre-season.