Pedri reveals what Xavi told him before he came on and provided sublime assist in Barcelona's 3-2 win against PSG
Barcelona's prodigal midfielder Pedri has revealed what manager Xavi Hernandez told him before he was subbed on in his team's 3-2 win against Paris Saint-Germain (PSG) on April 10.
Barca were trailing in the game when Pedri was brought on. The Spaniard provided a peach of an assist for Raphinha's goal to make it 2-2. He had a good cameo overall as he played an important role in this game.
After the match, Pedri revealed Barcelona manager Xavi gave him some specific instructions to be carried out. (via Barca Blaugranes)
"Xavi simply told me to come on mentally prepared and ready to contribute," he said. "He wanted us to push Paris and squeeze them high up the pitch.
"I came on absolutely buzzing with the hunger to help the team and that pass to Raphinha for the goal just came off nicely. Both coaches tonight love to play attacking, high-pressing football and that accounts for the match we saw here."
Pedri concluded by acknowledging the challenge put forth by PSG, but reiterated his belief in his team to progress to the semis.
"Rafa's finish was sent down from the angels... We came here to compete hard, and I think tonight, we proved we're one of the best teams in the world. I think we're the best, actually. We came to win and we did but there's a tough second leg left now."
Pedri ended up playing just under half an hour in the second half. He completed 17 passes with perfect accuracy, including one key pass. He also won four duels and made three tackles.
Neymar approves of Raphinha copying his celebration during PSG vs Barcelona
Former Barcelona and PSG superstar Neymar Jr had a cheeky remark to make on Raphinha's social media post regarding Barca's impressive 3-2 win in the UCL.
The Brazilian winger was on target for his team's first and second goals as he played a crucial role in the first leg. He recreated Neymar's celebration and posted it on his socials, which prompted the response you can view below.
Neymar played for Barcelona between 2013-17, making 186 appearances for the club. He scored an impressive 105 goals and provided 76 assists during his time in Spain.
He then made the switch to PSG in 2017 for a jaw-dropping €222 million. For the Parisians, Neymar made 173 appearances, scoring 118 goals and providing 77 assists.
Neymar then moved to Saudi Pro League side Al Hilal for a reported fee in the region of €90 million in August 2023. However, his involvement has been limited as he suffered a cruciate ligament injury in October and is yet to make his return.