While Lamine Yamal panics Europe and statistics, an unexpected voice has decided to put things into perspective. For this informed observer, the real heart of Barça is located elsewhere. And according to him, it is neither on the right wing, nor in the surface that everything is played out. A daring position, which places another name at the top of the Blaugrana hierarchy.
The author of this declaration is none other than Toni Kroos. The former Real Madrid metronome, recently retired, surprised by saying: “Pedri is more important than Lamine Yamal, Raphinha or even Lewandowski”. For the 2014 world champion, the influence of the young environment on the Catalan game exceeds that of scorers or dribblers. “It provides solutions. He helps in all the phases of the game. He is a player that we notice when he is not there ”he said in Marca.
Barça has its star: it's not Yamal but Pedri, according to Kroos.
The former Merengue went even further, welcoming Pedri's ability to “Eliminate between 11 and 12 players per game in La Liga”, A rare feat for an axial environment. His mastery of small spaces and his role as binding make it according to him “The best player in the world in his post”. A tribute all the stronger since it comes from an ex-adversary, long used to crossing the Blaugrana during the clasicos.
Pedri more essential than Yamal?
In a club where Yamal is perceived as the jewel of the future and where Raphinha continues the starts, these words will not go unnoticed. They relaunch the debate on the key player in Barça. Between the brilliance of the offensive individuals and the shadow of the creator, Kroos chose his camp.
While Barça is preparing to negotiate a crucial turning point in its season, this outing could well echo in the locker room. For Flick, whose style values complete environments, Pedri perhaps represents more than a simple player: a pillar. And for Kroos, it's clear: Pedri, it is the oxygen of Barça.
