There have been many protagonists in Hansi Flick’s FC Barcelona team so far this season. The likes of Robert Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Lamine Yamal have all stepped up big time and the attack is working in perfect unison like a symphonic harmony.
However, there are two players in the team who make everyone around them look so much better whenever they are on the pitch. One is Dani Olmo but the Spaniard has not been around enough so far this season to make a call on his impact. The sample size is relatively small.
The other player who makes everyone around him play better football is Pedri. The 21-year-old has played every single game for Barcelona so far this season, mostly as a starter and some off the bench, and his impact, both from a personal and collective perspective has been immense.
Getting the obvious elephant out of the room, the biggest success with Pedri so far this season has been his fitness. After seasons of struggle just to remain fit for a continuous run of games, Hansi Flick has managed to transform the Spaniard’s fortunes and the results are there for everyone to see.
Everyone knew certain things about Pedri. The Barcelona #8 is a magician on the ball and can play passes that other players cannot even dream of. It is easier to scale the top of Mount Everest than to take the ball off the 21-year-old’s feet. He has shown all these qualities ever since breaking into the team at the Catalan club.
However, stats from Sofa Score show how Hansi Flick has made Pedri much more than just that. The German coach has transformed the Barcelona star into a complete midfielder. So far this season, his numbers in every department are outstanding.
Anyone who has seen Pedri play for long enough will know that there was always a goalscorer hidden inside of him. So far this season, that assumption has been vindicated as the 21-year-old has often popped up in goal-scoring positions and has netted three goals from an xG of just 1.02.
Further inspection into these attacking numbers tells us that Pedri is attempting 0.8 shots per game. Most of his shots have been on target so far this season, highlighting that he has improved his ball-striking ability. With more minutes, the Spaniard, labeled as a ‘special’ player by Hansi Flick, is only set to improve in his regards.
Next up is the most obvious aspect of Pedri’s game – his passing. He has just one assist this season but further inspection will tell you that he has been unlucky with his teammates not finishing off his chances as his xA stands as 2.21. This has been the Spaniard’s case for much of his Barcelona career.
The 21-year-old averages 62.2 touches per game, which is impressive considering he only plays 69 minutes on average every game. He also records 1.8 key passes per game and has an overall passing accuracy of 88%, which is remarkable considering the high-risk passes that he attempts on a constant basis.
Pedri has also been averaging 2.7 accurate long balls per game, 2.5 accurate chipped passes, and 0.3 accurate crosses. He has created 2 big chances for his teammates and his ability to thread a ball through the eye of a needle cannot be measured by any stats.
The biggest improvement in the 21-year-old’s game, which is a consequence of the role Hansi Flick has used him in for much of this season is his defensive numbers. Pedri is putting up numbers of a natural ball-winner in midfield and this is something new that he has added to his repertoire.
The 21-year-old averages per game, 0.6 interceptions, 1.5 tackles, 5.3 balls recovered, 0.5 times possession won in the final third and 0.5 clearances. He also records an average of 3.5 ground duels won per game and despite all this, he has been yellow-carded just once.
Hansi Flick’s impact in Pedri’s game can clearly be seen in how complete he has become this season but credit must also be given to the 21-year-old for working hard on his game and reaching this level. As he matures (which is strange to tell about someone who is just 21), the midfielder looks as complete as they come.
So far this season, Pedri has been one of the best midfielders in the world if not the best. As long as he can maintain his fitness like he has been doing all season, it is frightening to think of the heights that the diminutive Spaniard can reach.
Barcelona are very lucky to have someone like Pedri in their ranks. He is a cheat code while playing out of the back under pressure, as seen against Bayern Munich and Real Madrid. The world is the 21-year-old’s oyster and he can go on to become one of the best the game has ever seen. Let’s wait and see how his career plays out.
