Barcelona want €100 million-rated ace to start vs Real Madrid, but won’t take risks with recovery

Spanish news outlet Mundo Deportivo has claimed that Barcelona midfielder Pedri is in the final stretch of his recovery and if everything goes well, he will be in contention to start the upcoming El Clasico.

The publication mentions that the 20-year-old is expected to take part in group training next week and if his condition is deemed suitable, he will have minutes under his tank against Athletic Club as well as Shakhtar Donetsk.

What are Barcelona’s plans with Pedri?

Barcelona’s planning with regard to Pedri involves a control ultrasound next week to confirm that his injury has fully healed. This will be followed by his reintegration into the team.

The schedule is aligned in such a manner that by next week, the Barcelona players, who are on international duty, will start returning to club duties.

For instance, the Spanish players will rejoin the Barça squad next Tuesday, having concluded their final match against Norway on Sunday.

Eventually, the ultimate aim for Pedri is to be ready for the Clasico. However, the plan is to ease him into the team gradually. 

The objective would be to get him some playing time in either of the upcoming matches, preferably against Athletic Club on Sunday or against Shakhtar Donetsk on Wednesday the 25th.

The ideal scenario would be for him to play a significant role in both of these matches before taking on a starting role in the Clasico.

Barcelona will practise caution

However, when dealing with Pedri, utmost caution will be exercised. This is because another injury to the midfielder will be a severe setback for Barcelona. 

Hence, the primary objective would be to ensure he is in peak physical condition when it’s time for an official match. The focus is on enabling him to participate without the looming threat of a relapse.

This is why his physical status next week will be very important for Barcelona. While the Real Madrid match is undeniably crucial, it’s vital to remember that there is still a substantial portion of the season remaining. 

As such, it is imperative that Pedri rejoins the team only when he is at his absolute peak condition, fully prepared to take on the gruelling fixture lineup of the season.

Player valuation in title obtained from transfermarkt.com on date of publication.