The Canarian midfielder’s absence has lined up with a dip in Barça’s goals and results, underscoring how crucial that talent is for the team.
There is a before Pedri and an after Pedri reality for FC Barcelona. There is the side that delights, entertains, scores, and dominates opponents. And there is the other side, one that stalls, logs historic low points, and struggles to pic up momentum. Playing without the Canary-born playmaker is no mere setback, and Xavi Hernandez and his squad are increasingly aware of it.
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Since the February 16 injury in the Europa League tie against Manchester United, Barça has played 11 matches without Pedri, tallying six wins, two draws, and three defeats. In that stretch, the team has gone three straight fixtures without finding the back of the net, and for the first time in 18 years, two consecutive clean sheets in La Liga were achieved only after the Canarian’s absence.
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It is not a coincidence that Barça exited European competition and the Copa del Rey in this period. Yet, in the 11 games Pedri has featured in recently, the record reads 10 victories and one draw. The club has also been more prolific in attack with Pedri on the field, scoring four more goals compared to the games without him — 16 goals versus 12 — underscoring his influence in the attacking phase.
Pedri’s involvement has also sharpened the team’s connection to goal. He has netted seven goals, six of them in La Liga, making him Barça’s second-highest scorer behind Raphinha. His contributions extend beyond scoring: his passing success into the opposition half averages a striking 84 percent, and he participates in about eight offensive actions per game, numbers that push the ball forward and sustain Barça’s tempo.
His absence, coupled with injuries to teammates like Frenkie de Jong, Andreas Christensen, Ousmane Dembélé, and Sergi Roberto, has left Barça with a sharper vulnerability in recent weeks. The national title remains within reach for the Catalan club, but Xavi Hernandez faces the task of devising solutions to an obvious strategic shortfall.
Source: Goal