Pedri the pick as Barcelona’s attack demolishes Young Boys

On the day when Andres Iniesta announced his retirement, it was somewhat poetic that Pedri should put in a headline grabbing performance.

The youngster still has a long way to go to be able to emulate his contemporary, however, this was a vintage midfield performance from a 21-year-old that’s just going to get better and better and better.

When Pedri plays well, Barcelona tick along nicely. If he’s not at it, there’s less fluency about their play, and the Catalans are that much easier to play against.

It was great to see Frenkie de Jong back out on the pitch again for so long, but in his absence, Pedri has done a sterling job.

Photo by Pedro Salado/Getty Images

We shouldn’t forget his age either. Just 21. Yet he’s playing like a seasoned veteran.

Against Young Boys he ran the show, though Raphinha might come close to man of the match honours too, with another performance of note.

There’s simply no comparison between the angry player of last season with a laissez-faire attitude, to the one that stands before us today as captain.

It’s clearly a responsibility he takes seriously and he led by example again, scoring at one end and hassling and harrying the opposition even when Barca were 5-0 up.

Young Boys afforded Barca the space with which to work in it’s true, but that doesn’t always mean that it’s taken advantage of.

On the night, Robert Lewandowski was another who was in the mood, and there are no words that can do Lamine Yamal justice.

Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images

As long as he keeps the tricks to a minimum and continues on the same trajectory he’s currently on, Barca have another very special talent indeed on their hands.

Just as Ansu Fati once was. The cheers that greeted his 30 minute cameo tells us how highly he’s still regarded by the culer fraternity, who would appear to still hold out hope for the 21-year-old to resurrect his career with the club.

Hansi Flick can’t be anything other than absolutely delighted after a performance where everything just fell into place.

Coming so soon after the Osasuna defeat, it was the perfect antidote to that disappointment.

That he was also able to give Hector Fort a run out and a debut for 17-year-old Andrés Cuenca was the cherry on top of the cake

Roll on Alaves!