Barcelona fear star player will miss the Spanish Super Cup due to injury - Reports
According to Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona are fearful of the possibility of Pedri missing their Supercopa de Espana clash against Osasuna on January 11 due to injury.
The Spanish midfielder has missed their last two games due to a muscle injury, but the report suggests that the issue may be more serious than previously expected.
Pedri picked up a muscular strain earlier this month, which caused him to miss the league match against Almeria and the friendly against Club America.
Xavi and his medical staff expected Pedri to return in January, and hoped to take the midfielder along with them to Riyadh for the Supercopa de Espana. However, it now appears that the 21-year-old will be out for January as well.
Barcelona have struggled in the past weeks after a blistering start to the season, and are now fourth in La Liga, seven points behind league leaders Real Madrid. They will be looking to turn over a new leaf in the new year.
Pedri has made 11 appearances for La Blaugrana this season, scoring once and providing one assist.
Xavi facing first wave of pressure as Barcelona boss
For much of his career as a Barcelona player, Xavi was a fan favorite at the Camp Nou due to his role in keeping the well-oiled tiki-taka machine running. His return as a manager saw him lead the club to the league title in his first full season, beating Real Madrid by ten points.
Their title defense season has not gone as the Spanish manager would have hoped, with his team already seven points off the pace in the league. He has come out swinging in his press conferences, often calling out the media for their harsh criticism of himself and his team.
Barcelona have not been helped by a significant drop-off in the form of some of their key players, including Robert Lewandowski and Jules Kounde. Their injury problems have also contributed to their struggles, as they remain without goalkeeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen.
La Blaugrana have a chance to claim their first piece of silverware this campaign and, more importantly, return the feel-good factor to their squad. On January 11, they will face Osasuna in the semifinals of Supercopa de Espana. Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid will go head-to-head in the other semifinal on January 10.