Getty Andres Iniesta is a big fan of Pedri.
Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta has hurled praise at the club’s 19-year-old midfielder Pedri who has already emerged as a key player for the Catalan giants.
The teenager has already been compared with Iniesta during his early days at Barcelona, and the former Spain international says he understands the comparisons but thinks Pedri is his own player.
Iniesta also made it clear just how highly he rates Pedri and how much he enjoys watching the Spain international play for his former club, as reported by Catalunya Radio.
“He’s a brutal player, he plays naturally, without thinking, easy, he has fun, he’s eager and excited,” he said. “The club he’s at is perfect for him to bring out his full potential. He’s got his head very well furnished. He’s a different player. He has a similar playing profile to mine but it has to be him with his characteristics.”
Pedri is already one of the first names on Xavi’s teamsheet such is his importance to the team despite his tender years. The midfielder has featured in every La Liga game for the club so far this season and all four Champions League matches.
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Iniesta Talks Barcelona Return
Iniesta also spoke once again about the possibility of a Barcelona return. The midfielder, who currently plys his trade in Japan with Vissel Kobe, has already admitted he would love to come back to the club in the future and work with Xavi.
Any return would be strictly in a non-playing capacity, as the 38-year-old readily admits he would no longer be able to cope with the intensity of playing for the Catalans in La Liga.
“It’s not that I don’t want to play for Barça again, I would be delighted,” he added. “But the time has passed. Now it would be impossible to compete with the people, they are very young and very strong.”
Iniesta’s contract with the J-League side expires in 2023, by which time he will be 39, and it could well be that he finally decides to call time on his incredible playing career.
Iniesta Wants To Give Back to Barcelona
A return to Barcelona seems likely, particularly given the close relationship Iniesta enjoyed with Xavi on the pitch during the duo’s playing days. The former midfielder has thought about future roles and opened up on what might appeal to him once his playing days are over.
“I want to train as a coach or sports director, first of all. I would like to train in different areas. I would like to return to Barça because I consider it my home,” he said. “I would like to return to give back to Barça everything that it has given me is a lot. It’s hard to predict when it will be because it depends on so many variables: who would be there, how it would fit in… until the time comes it’s hard to predict.”
It would be no surprise at all to see Iniesta head back to Barcelona, although it’s not clear yet what kind of position he could take up. Yet Barcelona fans would surely love to see Iniesta and Xavi working together once more at the Camp Nou to bring success to Barcelona.
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