As Barcelona take on Atletico Madrid this evening, laying out a strong foundation in midfield could be key, especially against a well-oiled pressing line of Diego Simeone.
Unfortunately for the Catalans, they are struggling with a lack of depth in midfield, especially with Gavi out injured.
In a recent interview, though, Pedri has hailed his partnering midfielders including Frenkie de Jong and Ilkay Gundogan.
Pedri on Frenkie de Jong
The Spanish international has particularly heaped praise on de Jong, suggesting that he misses the Dutchman whenever he is out of action.
“I really enjoy when Frenkie is next to me on the field, and when he is gone, I miss him a lot,” he said (h/t FCB World).
Frenkie and Pedri have indeed harboured an excellent relationship in recent years. Their versatile skillsets have added more depth to Barça’s midfield.
Frenkie, though, has missed out a few games this season due to injury. But he is now back to full fitness and will start alongside Pedri when Barça take on Atletico Madrid.
Pedri on Ilkay Gundogan
Pedri also talked about his other midfield partner Ilkay Gundogan, who joined the club from Manchester City in the summer.
“When you give the ball to Frenkie and Gundogan, it is very difficult for them to lose it. Having these two players is a luxury,” he said.
Since joining the club in the summer, Gundogan has become a leader for Barcelona in the middle of the park. His experience, coupled with his technical ability make him an indispensable part of the team.
Finally, as Barça take on a strong physical opponent in Atletico Madrid, Pedri stressed on Barcelona’s physical training aspect, adding, “The team works a lot on the physical level. Some say that Barcelona do not work on the physical aspect, but this is a lie. We work a lot.”
