Xavi’s key man at Barcelona? Pedri, without him Barcelona only win half the time

The departure of Lionel Messi has left an unprecedented rift in Barcelona. Suddenly, the Blaugranas team was scrubbed both in terms of results and play. Teenager Ansu Fati was supposed to fill the gaping hole left by the captain and the number on his jersey. However, he’s lost more than he’s played since last summer, and midfielder Pedri spontaneously began to take over as the difference maker. But Xavi’s squad is more dependent on his performances than anyone might have expected.

It is the 19-year-old midfielder who, as the current season draws to a close, has naturally risen to the position of team star. And that was expected of others in the first place. After all, that’s what they came for before the season, or rather during it.

Memphis Depay may be the league’s top scorer, but his performances have been erratic and often lackluster. Adama Traoré gets very little space and even he hasn’t been able to play consistently well enough so far. And even Pierre Aubameyang’s gunpowder has gotten a bit wet in recent games. Perhaps the only one of the reinforcements who has managed to deliver repeatedly promising performances is winger Ferran Torres.

It is the Las Palmas offspring who, along with Ousmane Dembélé, is dragging Xavi’s squad along. Like his colleague Fatima, the Canaries native is also predicted to have a bright future. But that without his presence on the pitch, will the Blaugranas’ points tally fall rapidly this early? Probably not many people expected that.

Expressed in numbers – with Pedro in the lineup, Barcelona wins almost ninety percent of its matches, otherwise just over fifty percent of games.

This proves that it’s not just about Pedri’s two fabulous goals, when he played with and hung up on Galatasaray and Sevilla players respectively. With the little chic on the pitch, Barcelona’s midfield is much more lively and agile. This results in a much more active and courageous play of the whole team. And coach Xavi can’t praise him enough.

And perhaps because of Pedri’s hamstring injury, Xavi and his team will have a lot of work to do to maintain their position to secure their participation in the Champions League next season, which Barcelona also need like salt for financial reasons.

For supporters of the Catalan colossus, Pedri’s figure is certainly crucial in another aspect as well. He is the one who seems to have brought football magic back to the Camp Nou. The two aforementioned goals in the Europa League and La Liga have brought back memories of the magic left with Lionel Messi. The Argentine played with the opponent’s defences, although of course he finished with his left foot.

The question is how the young player will cope with the role of the idol of all culés. In any case, there is probably no more suitable person in the world for Pedri’s successful football development than one of the best midfielders in Spanish history, Xavi Hernandez.

Source: Transfermarkt, Barcelona