Barcelona will regulate wonderkid’s minutes in remaining games to avoid Pedri mistake

When Pedri walked onto the field in a Barcelona shirt for the first time, it became increasingly obvious that the club had found a gem that suited their style. The manner in which he caressed the ball and knocked it around was just as if he had graduated from La Masia, except that he did not.

Pedri thus did not take long to become a regular starter for Barcelona across all competitions. Slowly but surely, the team became dependent on him as a source of decisive passes and he soon became a regular for the Spanish national team.

In the 2020/21 season, Pedri featured in 73 games for club and country and was the footballer who played the most number of games in all of Europe’s top five leagues.

The young midfield prodigy was handed a two-week holiday upon his return from international duty at the Euros and the Olympics, but that could not save him from the inevitable fatigue-related injury spree that followed.

According to reports from Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona do not wish to make the same mistake with Gavi. He has already played more than 50 games this season and the club does not wish to risk a burnout. He will see more rest in the final four games of the campaign.

The 2022 Golden Boy Award winner has been indispensable in Xavi Hernandez’s plans all season, participating in 33 of the team’s 34 La Liga games and starting 28. Further, he has played most of the campaign as a false left-winger instead of the midfield.

Barcelona see the youngster to be one to lead the team for at least the next decade and have wanted to provide him with a first-team registration for a long time now.

With La Liga’s green light on the economic feasibility plan expected in the coming days, his renewal will be the first operation that the administration wishes to take care of.

Given his importance to the team in the present and for the future, it is only natural for Barcelona to avoid any injury and fatigue risks with Gavi, especially after having seen Pedri suffer last season.

Hence, the 18-year-old’s minutes will be regulated in the remaining four La Liga games this season, which could pave the way for fringe players like Pablo Torre and Franck Kessie to feature more.