Barcelona summer signing’s incredible passing statistic puts him clear of La Liga midfielders | OneFootball

Rodri has needed only a handful of appearances to establish himself as one of the most important pieces in Hansi Flick’s Barcelona midfield.

The blockbuster summer signing was gradually introduced after arriving with limited preparation, but that approach has now paid off. 

Rodri is now operating alongside Pedri and producing passing numbers that show his influence in Barcelona’s possession game.

Among La Liga midfielders to have attempted at least 200 passes this season, Rodri currently owns the best completion rate.

Rodri is barely giving the ball away

The Spain international has attempted 391 passes and completed 368, giving him an exceptional 94.12% passing accuracy.

His numbers have remained remarkably consistent despite his minutes being carefully managed early in the campaign.

Rodri has no competition in ball distribution. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Rodri played just 28 minutes against Athletic Club but completed 22 of his 24 passes, finishing with a 91.6% accuracy rate. Against Rayo Vallecano, he completed all 30 of his attempted passes despite playing only 27 minutes.

His involvement increased against Valencia, where Rodri completed 82 of 83 passes in just over an hour.

That progression has continued as his workload has grown.

Against Levante, he completed 105 of 109 passes, while also finding his target with all 12 of his attempted long balls. 

Those numbers showed that his influence goes beyond short possession, with Rodri also providing Barcelona with a reliable way of switching play from deep.

Barcelona are getting more than safe possession

Rodri has adapted seamlessly at Barcelona. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Rodri’s passing has not just been about recycling the ball. Rather, he has already recorded 26 accurate long balls and created five chances, giving Flick another route to break defensive structures from midfield.

He followed his Levante performance by completing 54 of 58 passes against Racing Club before producing another highly efficient display against Sevilla, completing 66 of 67 attempts.

His 86 touches in the 3-1 victory over Sevilla also reflected how frequently Barcelona used him to maintain control from deeper areas.

The speed with which Rodri has adapted is particularly notable given Flick’s decision to introduce him gradually. 

What began as a controlled introduction to the new environment has turned into a regular starting role alongside Pedri.