The injury to Pedri comes at an untimely point for FC Barcelona who were finally looking to settle within their newfound momentum following the win against Cadiz, which was coincidentally also a victory in which Pedri had a major contribution.
The Canary Islander has been the beating heart of Xavi’s FC Barcelona since the former Barcelona legend took charge of the club. The 20-year-old undoubtedly possesses quality and technical prowess beyond those of his age group, and his absence will surely be felt.
In his absence, however, Blaugranes will need to compensate by deploying other midfielders in his stead. The likes of Ilkay Gundogan, Frenkie De Jong, Gavi, and Oriol Romeu are the ones who will most likely be chosen to replace the influence of Pedri according to Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo.
While Romeu remains an indefinite starter due to his crucial and specific role within the team that others around him are incapable of filling in for properly. Gundogan, Gavi, and De Jong on the other hand all possess unique traits that make them suitable for deployment against various opponents as per the strategy of Xavi Hernandez.
Gavi himself has found his place more often on the bench than the starting eleven during the pre-season phase and even against Getafe in the opening game of La Liga for FC Barcelona. The 19-year-old did however seem to find his place in the starting lineup against Cadiz, when Xavi decided to field five midfielders instead of his typical setup involving four.
Barcelona have become accustomed to playing with four midfielders against oppositions in La Liga that tend to favor structural soundness and defensive integrity more so than their offensive creativity, leading Barcelona to need more numbers in midfield to consistently circulate possession and keep control of the game.
It will now be interesting to see who gets the nod from Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez for the upcoming clash against Villarreal, but according to MD, the starting lineup should be expected to consist of Gavi, Frenkie De Jong, Ilkay Gundogan and Oriol Romeu in the midfield.
