"He has to be himself"- Andres Iniesta explains what Pedri must do to 'continue to grow' at Barcelona
Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta has given an insight into what he believes teenage sensation Pedri must do to continue developing at Camp Nou. The teenage midfielder once again produced an impressive performance for the Catalan giants during their 2-2 draw with Espanyol on Sunday in La Liga.
Pedri scored the opener in just the second minute of the game before Sergi Darder scored an equalizer for Espanyol in the 40th minute. Raul de Tomas gave Espanyol a shock lead in the 64th minute before Luuk de Jong scored a dramatic equalizer for the Blaugrana in the sixth minute of stoppage time in the second half.
Manager Xavi Hernandez will be thrilled with Pedri's performance. The midfielder missed a large chunk of the first half of the 2021-22 campaign due to injury but has been one of the club's standout players in recent weeks. Iniesta provided an insight into the conversations and advice he gave the youngster. As per Sport, Iniesta said:
"Sometimes, I have spoken with Pedri, a spectacular boy with a lot of talent. He surely will be a reference in his club and in the national team. I have told him about situations that I also experienced, such as comparisons with others. He has to be himself, enjoy the way he does and continue to grow."
Fastest derby goal in the 21st century! @Pedri in minute two of #EspanyolBarça https://t.co/ZkfbdnCaxp
Pedri rose through the youth ranks before making his debut for the club last season. He immediately became a regular member of the first team, going on to make 52 appearances and scoring four goals in all competitions for the club. His impressive performances earned him a place in Luis Enrique's Spain squad for Euro 2020.
Pedri played a key role in Spain's run to the semi-finals of Euro 2020 where they were knocked out by Italy. The 19-year-old is seen as a player around whom the club can build a squad for the future.
Barcelona must look to secure a top-three finish in La Liga
Barcelona have shown massive signs of improvement since Xavi Hernandez replaced Ronald Koeman as the club's manager midway through the first half of the season. The club have managed to climb up to fourth place in the La Liga table.
The Blaugrana are currently level on points with fifth-placed Atletico Madrid. They are also just four points behind third-placed Real Betis with a game in hand over Manuel Pellegrini's side.
Never give up https://t.co/7Tt0xRAAxO
Barcelona enjoyed an impressive January transfer window. They managed to sign Ferran Torres from Manchester City, Adama Traore on loan from Wolves and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang from Arsenal.
The club must build on their progress under Xavi Hernandez by leapfrogging Real Betis in the La Liga table and securing a place in the top-three of the La Liga table at the end of the season. Barcelona must also prioritize the Europa League as they are likely to be favorites to win the competition this season.