FC Barcelona managed to secure their second successive win of the La Liga campaign with an impressive 2-1 win over Athletic Bilbao. It was a much improved performance than the one at Mestalla.
Hansi Flick made only one change to Barcelona’s starting XI from the Valencia game but it was a big one. The German coach opted to bring in Pedri for Marc Casado despite the latter’s incredible game last weekend.
Pedri started in a double pivot alongside Marc Bernal and he was a joy to watch. Knowing exactly when to control the game and when to advance it, the Barcelona #8 pulled all the strings from midfield in a Xavi-esque performance.
As per SofaScore, Pedri recorded 64 touches in 90 minutes, completing 46 out of 53 passes including five key passes. He completed two out of three attempted dribbles and won four out of his six ground duels.
On Instagram, after the game, Pedri sent out a message to Barcelona fans reveling in the happiness of the team’s performance.
“I was already looking forward to playing again and celebrating a victory with our team. We finished the game tired but very happy. Good job, team. FORÇA! 💙❤️”
Recently announced as one of the captains of the club, Pedri played like a leader on the pitch. The 21-year-old at his best controls the pace of the entire game and Barcelona are lucky to have him in their ranks.
The bigger positive for Barcelona is the fact that Pedri completed 90 minutes last night, indicating his fitness. Under Hansi Flick, the club seems to have taken a step up physically and hopefully, this is a solution to the club’s injury issues.
If and when Pedri is fit, he is Barcelona’s most important player. Let’s hope the Spaniard can continue playing on a similar note going forward.
