November 12
Barcelona star Pedri delivered an exceptional performance at the Metropolitano Stadium last Sunday. His stunning display against Atlético Madrid—which helped lead Barça to a 2-1 victory—sent a clear message: he remains a fundamental pillar in manager Hansi Flick’s system, consistently elevating the team’s level of play.
A Catalan newspaper noted that Flick is well aware of this; he has consistently entrusted the keys to the midfield to the Canary Islands native. While the addition of a player of Rodri’s caliber would undoubtedly boost the quality of Barcelona’s midfield, the man who wears the number 8 jersey will always remain the cornerstone of the German manager’s project at Camp Nou—especially when it comes to the decisive moments in the hunt for trophies.
Furthermore, a specific detail highlights Flick’s desire for Pedri to reach his physical peak by 2027.
At the start of the season, a clear shift emerged in Flick’s strategy regarding the management of Pedri’s playing time. As the manager explained, the player from Las Palmas reaches his physical best when he maintains a consistent rhythm and plays matches every three days.
However, such a congested schedule demands the utmost caution; given the intensity of modern football, it is practically impossible for any player to avoid minor knocks or injuries without sufficient rest.
Pedri has featured in all 16 matches Barcelona has played this season. He has not missed a single match, clocking 1,111 minutes of play so far.
The only players with more minutes on the pitch are Lamine Yamal (1,355 minutes), goalkeeper Joan García (1,305 minutes), and Pau Cubarsí (1,142 minutes).
However, Pedri has completed a full 90-minute match on only three occasions—representing 18.75% of his total appearances—and has consistently been substituted before the 85th minute, even though he has played more than 75 minutes in seven different matches.
These figures point to a trend that differs significantly from what we observed during the first two seasons under Flick’s tenure at Barcelona. In the 2024/2025 season, Pedri played the full duration in 23 out of 59 matches (38.9%); on seven other occasions, he was substituted from the 88th minute onwards—effectively sparing him only the stoppage time.
Last season, the proportion of matches he started and finished was higher, at 41.8% (18 out of 43 games), with an additional five instances where he was substituted just before the fourth official signaled for stoppage time.
Although the current season’s rate is considerably lower, the data confirms beyond any doubt that Flick is making a conscious effort to protect Pedri as much as possible.
Naturally, the *Blaugrana* manager values having a diverse range of options in the midfield. Following Frenkie de Jong’s recovery, the German coach can now rely on Gavi, Fermín López, and Bernal, in addition to Dani Olmo and Rodri—both of whom are currently sidelined due to injury.
After the final international break of 2026, Barcelona will close out the year by playing eight matches in less than a month. Some of these encounters will be exceptionally challenging, as the team faces formidable opponents such as Manchester City, Atlético Madrid (once again), Villarreal, and Real Sociedad.
Depending on how many minutes Pedri plays for the Spanish national team during the remaining two rounds of the UEFA Nations League, Flick will continue to manage his involvement with great care. The goal is to ensure he remains a pivotal figure in the midfield and is fully prepared to hit the ground running in 2027.
