Barcelona is experiencing a challenging phase in La Liga. The reigning champions currently stand in 4th place in the league points table. As they prepare to resume their league campaign in 2024 on Friday, potential problems are already arising with the new signing of Vitor Roque.
The Blaugrana injury crisis has derailed their season, putting their boss Xavi’s position under scrutiny due to recent form. Despite Pedri marking his return to action in November, he suffered another injury woe. Recently, he disclosed his maiden training encounter with Lionel Messi.
Pedri recalls his first training session with Lionel Messi
Pedri Gonzalez joined the Catalan giants in the summer of 2020 from Las Palmas on a €5 million transfer fee at the age of 18 to join forces alongside the Argentine icon Lionel Messi. The midfielder has amassed 120 appearances for the club, establishing his stature as a key figure and drawing comparisons with club legends Xavi and Iniesta.
In an interview with Spanish Twitch streamer Ibai Llanos, Pedri described his first training session with Lionel Messi at Barcelona and how Messi’s aura left him in awe.
He revealed, “Messi is the best player in history. I used to watch him training and say, ‘What am I doing here with him’. And I would stare at him all the time. When I arrived at Barça the first person I saw in the dressing room was Messi. He had that aura.”
Additionally, the 21-year-old also voiced his support for his boss Xavi Hernandez, stating, “As long as Xavi is at Barcelona, we trust him. We are with him”‘ Unfortunately, this season, he has only played 11 matches across all competitions, missing a major chunk of games due to hamstring injuries.
Out of the total of his 8 league appearances, six came in the past two months. However, before Christmas, his campaign hit another setback with muscular problems, and subsequently, the Spaniard was again pushed to the treatment room. The 21-year-old is expected to return in mid-January potentially.
How close is Lionel Messi and Pedri’s friendship?
Pedri and Lionel Messi played together for a whole season before their club captain announced his departure in 2021 and later joined the French outfit PSG for two seasons. The Spanish-Argentine duo made 47 appearances for Barcelona, contributing three goals and leading them to lift the Copa Del Rey in the 2020/21 season.
Both were integral parts of the club set-up, playing influential roles in the midfield while Messi was leading the club as the captain and the senior figure. Although, the partnership was only restricted to a single season, even a brief time with the eight-time Ballon d’Or winner has Pedri labeling him as the ‘best player in history.’
