Pedri González, a first-team football player for FC Barcelona, has revealed the secret behind maintaining his fitness after a string of persistent injuries that had previously hampered his career.
Pedri had struggled with injuries in recent seasons, which affected his form with both Barcelona and the Spanish national team. However, under Hansi Flick’s guidance this season, he has managed to regain his fitness.
In an interview with Spanish newspaper El País, Pedri said:
“I trained harder and changed my diet, as well as my training methods. I was giving it my all, but nothing was working.”
He added:
“No one really knows the exact reason. I made some changes, but I can’t say for certain that any one thing was the key. Maybe it was just that my body developed over time.”
He continued:
“When I was injured, I went through really tough times. Mentally, I wasn’t at my best, and it affected me deeply. Each injury hurt more than the last because when injuries keep coming, it’s natural to start questioning what needs to change. I kept telling myself, ‘This is the last time. I’ll come back.’”
Pedri went on to say:
“Right now, I feel the most comfortable I’ve ever felt in my short career. I’m playing as a defensive midfielder, touching the ball a lot, staying active, and trying to help the team. I don’t focus on dribbling or force it — my mind just reacts naturally, because my current role doesn’t require a lot of overthinking when I have the ball.”
Recalling his early days at Barcelona, Pedri said:
“I was honestly shocked when I moved from the Las Palmas reserve team straight to the Barcelona first team.”
He continued:
“When I arrived here, I found myself surrounded by Messi, Busquets, and Piqué. Meeting them in person for the first time was terrifying.”
On comparisons to Andrés Iniesta, the Barça midfielder said:
“There will always be comparisons, maybe because we play a similar role and both wore the number 8. I’ve watched a lot of his videos, but doing what Iniesta did is incredibly difficult.”
Barcelona are set to face Borussia Dortmund tomorrow in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals — a stage the Catalan club hasn’t advanced past since 2020.
Pedri commented:
“We’re facing a strong team, but we’re in good form. Dortmund aren’t at their best in the league, but in the Champions League, anything can happen.”
He also praised Lamine Yamal:
“It feels similar to what we experienced with Messi — knowing that something special can happen at any moment from a player who can change the game. I wish him all the best in the future.”
Finally, he addressed the Ballon d’Or:
“Iniesta, Xavi, and Busquets all deserved to win it, and now Rodri has. I hope it opens the door for more midfielders in the future. It’s every player’s dream, but if you ask me, team titles are definitely more important.”