There aren’t many better players than Pedri. This young midfielder is considered one of the brightest talents in world football, and is a pillar of both Barcelona and the Spanish national team at the age of 21.
Pedri’s only obstacle in his quest for greatness in recent years has been his constant battle with injuries. If he is fit, he will be the launching pad for Hansi Flick’s success with the Catalan giants and the German captain must know how to take very good care of Pedri.
The midfielder is currently on duty with the Spanish national team in Germany and will join up with Flick in the pre-season at the end of next month. When the former coach of Bayern Munich and the German national team want to operate a 4-2-3-1 formation, Pedri could very well become the most important player of the team.
Although Flick does not have the freedom he would like in terms of transfers, the 59-year-old is fortunate to have some great talent in the Catalan dressing room.
The change from a 4-3-3 to a 4-2-3-1 will shift much of the creative responsibility to the wingers and attacking midfielders. And Pedri is the best choice to take on the role of a number 10, playing in front of the pivot duo and just behind the central striker. His task will be to be creative, create and take advantage of opportunities in 1/3 of the opponent’s field.
Last season, Pedri showed excellent attacking ability with 4 goals and 2 assists after 16 starting matches in La Liga. His importance in the opposition third will only increase next season as he is given the freedom to advance, and no longer has to worry as much about his defensive responsibilities.
In recent seasons, Pedri has mainly operated as a central midfielder for Barcelona. Accordingly, his attack ability is slightly limited. Given the impending position change, it is extremely useful for the 21-year-old to play as an attacking midfielder for Spain at the ongoing EURO 2024.
Luis de La Fuente arranged Pedri to play right behind Alvaro Morata and between wingers Lamine Yamal and Nico Williams. The Barcelona star scored twice for La Roja in an international friendly against Northern Ireland before assisting in the match against Croatia. In the match against Italy, Pedri had two great scoring opportunities but unfortunately sent the ball wide of the post. However, he was still decisive in every touch, coordinating the play and providing 3 important passes for his teammates. That’s the image of an ideal 10 for Hansi Flick.
Minh Tuan | 00:00 November 30, 2001
