Many soccer players experience a close bond with a certain club and aspire to represent it on the field. For many, it’s their dream to retire in that club. Pedro, a renowned former Spanish and Barcelona football player, has recently expressed his aspiration to pursue a similar dream.
The forward currently plays for Lazio in Serie A but was once leading the lines for the Catalan club, where he got much of his success and achievements. He seemingly remains open to the possibility of returning and eagerly anticipates receiving a call in the near future.
Pedro dreams of retiring with the Blaugrana
The former Barcelona star recently gave an interview to the Catalan news outlet Beteve’s La Porteria, and spoke about many things, including his former club. He was asked if he would be open to a potential return to the club.
Pedro answered honestly that if manager Xavi, who was his teammate and captain during his last stint, called him, he would join without hesitation. He said, “If they tell me and Xavi calls me, before he hangs up and regrets it, I’ll come. Barca is my home, that does not mean that I do not defend 100% the club where I am now [Lazio]. “
He did admit that it may not happen, but it would be his dream to retire at the club. “Barca is my team, it is very complicated for me to return, due to many factors, due to age, but I would love to. Retiring from Barca would be spectacular, but since I see it as far away and difficult , it’s something I’m not even thinking about.”
Pedro, aged 36, is nearing the end of his career. He has not demonstrated significant performance with Lazio, as he has not been involved in any goals in the 10 league matches he has participated in.
There is a possibility that he will depart for free upon the expiration of his contract in the upcoming summer, and there is also potential for his retirement in the near future.
Barcelona have a considerable number of young forwards, making it unlikely for them to consider recruiting an older player that might affect the existing team dynamics. They are also financially broken, resorting to selling creative items to raise funds.
When did Pedro leave Barca?
Pedro is one of Barcelona’s legends, being one of their most memorable forwards. A La Masia graduate, he spent the years between 2007 to 2015 on the first team. His inclusion coincided with the greatest period of success for the Blaugrana, where he had an important role.
During his time there, he won six La Liga trophies, four Copa del Rey trophies, and four Spanish Super Cup trophies in Spain. In Europe, he helped the team win three Champions League trophies, three UEFA Super Cup trophies, and three FIFA Club World Cup trophies.
As a prolific striker, he had 99 goals for the club in 324 games and had quite a dangerous partnership with the likes of Lionel Messi, Samuel Eto’o, David Villa, and others. He had to leave in 2015, however, as Messi, Neymar Jr. and Luis Suarez formed the deadly MSN trio, which left him out of the top order. He then left that year for Chelsea for a fee of €27 million.
He left the Blues in 2020 and joined Roma for free. After joining Lazio in 2021, he may now retire this season for good. While he may not get his fairytale return to Barcelona, he will always be remembered as one of their legends.
