Injured again, although not seriously this time, the midfielder of FC Barcelona and La Roja is starting to worry more and more people on the other side of the Pyrenees.
He's only 21 years old and yet when there are debates about the best midfielders on the planet, he's bound to be in the discussion. And clearly, if he hadn't been so handicapped by physical problems lately, he probably could have reached an even higher level than he currently has. Already absent for 12 matches at the start of the season, having only returned to competition in November, the Canarian will not play the last La Liga match against Almeria this Wednesday. Just like his participation in the next Spanish Super Cup is uncertain. This is due to new muscular problems which will keep him away from the field until January.
In total, Pedri has missed half of FC Barcelona 's matches played in 2023, just as he has missed 34% of the matches played by his club since his arrival. Since this famous 2020/2021 season, there have been 69 missed matches, namely 62 with the Catalan team and 7 with the Spanish selection. Quite worrying figures for Barça, since he is normally the leader of the midfield. But also for La Roja, of which he is also an essential player.
How to explain these repeated glitches?
Both in Barcelona and in the rest of Spain, there is great concern, while Barça has big deadlines coming up in the second half of the season. There is also this Euro 2024, where the Canarian is expected to try to lead Spain as far as possible. “Pedri's hell with muscle injuries which worries Barça and which seems chronic” , headlines El Confidencial for example . Repeated glitches which also raise questions about the management of FC Barcelona with him. There is this famous 2020/2021 season, where he played more than 70 matches, even going so far as to go to the Olympic Games after the Euro, and which is reported as a turning point season, in the bad sense of the word.
With hindsight, it seems obvious that he pushed too much during this season and that it continues to harm him. Whose fault is it ? To FC Barcelona, but probably also to the player and the Spanish federation. The bodybuilding program developed by the Spanish champion for the player, which notably allowed him to gain 7 kilos of muscle, also does not seem to be bearing fruit for the moment. A worrying observation, as all of football in Spain hopes that he will quickly be able to finally see the light at the end of the tunnel.