Pedri should be leading Barcelona into a new era – but injuries are threatening to ruin the career of Spain’s greatest talent
The midfield dynamo simply can’t stay fit — and Xavi might have to confront a future without him if things don’t change
Earlier this week, it emerged that Pedri would be able to play a few minutes in Barcelona’s Spanish Super Cup semi-final clash with Osasuna. This was, objectively, good news for Barca. After all, the struggling Blaugrana have certainly missed one of their best players during their recent sticky run.
There is no escaping he fact that Pedri is a vital player for this Barcelona team. In the last two-and-a-half seasons, the Barca have only lost three La Liga games in which Pedri has played. When he is not on the pitch, not only do they become more susceptible to losses, but his missing quality is simple to see.
The real issue is, however, that Pedri isn’t on the pitch nearly enough. He has played just 46 La Liga games since the start of the 2021-22 campaign, and 67 in all competitions. A teenager used too much, too early, has proved unable to handle the immense workload thrust upon him.
It’s become an unfortunate, seemingly unbreakable, cycle; the Golden Boy-turned-midfield dynamo seeing his potential limited by his inability to stay fit. Chronic injury problems are not new in football, but for Pedri, an all-action midfielder who relies on every sinew of the muscles that are currently letting him down, it could be the death of a career that promised so much.
