Barcelona fan favourite will not take any risks with his recovery after injury setback

If things had gone according to plans, Barcelona midfielder Pedri would have played in last week’s El Clasico against Real Madrid and would have been part of the Spain national team setup ahead of their UEFA Euro 2024 Qualifier against Norway.

The 20-year-old had injured his thigh in mid-February against Manchester United and the initial prognosis was that he would be back in time for March 19th’s Clasico.

Things looked positive for Barcelona and Pedri as he started training with the team last week. However, two days before the game, it emerged that he felt discomfort during a session.

It was reported that the Spaniard’s recovery had not been going at the expected pace and, as a result, he could be out for another month.

Now, SPORT is reporting that Pedri will not take any more risks with regard to his injury and recovery after the latest setback he suffered, which has meant that he will not be available to play in the Copa del Rey semi-final second leg against Real Madrid on April 5.

Ideally, Pedri would not have preferred to miss such a monumental clash, but is now not going to force himself back on the pitch and will give his injury sufficient time to heal as he wishes to play in the crucial matches towards the end of the season and possibly a cup final.

The 20-year-old, whose entourage is upset with Barcelona for the injury setback, is not going to set a deadline for his return. He does not plan on returning to on-field action until he feels he is in perfect physical condition.

Going by the current reports, Pedri could face one more month on the sidelines, which would mean he could potentially return against Atletico Madrid on April 23. However, he will not see that as a deadline and only consider returning when he feels he is fully ready.

Pedri, in his young career, has already had several injury issues. So, it becomes imperative that Barcelona take good care of the 20-year-old and proceed with caution in his situation.