Pedri shows he’s Barcelona’s newest superstar

Photo by MARCO BERTORELLO/AFP via Getty Images

What a performance!

Culers aren’t known for going over the top when it comes to praising players, but it’s time to get excited again.

Pedri’s performance against Juventus is right up there as one of Barca’s best of recent times.

At 17 years of age, playing football at that level against that standard of opponent is off the scale.

Credit to Ronald Koeman for keeping faith in the youngster because we have a real gem in the Canarian.

A double drag back in only his second Champions League game against one of the most historic European teams... are you kidding me?!

Photo by Tullio Puglia - UEFA/UEFA via Getty Images

He is playing with such confidence, verve and purpose that his age hasn’t really even come into the conversation as a discussion point.

Pedri already looks completely at home with the responsibility of being given the ball, and he appears to instinctively know the Barca way.

The flashes of brilliance that do belie his tender years aren’t all he is about either.

It was great to see him working hard for the team, getting back when required and for all intents and purposes providing close to the perfect midfield performance.

Consider that the likes of Adrien Rabiot was up against him, a much more physical and mature player, and yet Pedri wasn’t ever overawed by him or any other opponent.

Juve are certainly a team in transition and Andrea Pirlo isn’t likely to last long if their start to the season continues in much the same way, but that shouldn’t take away from the performance of Ronald Koeman’s side.

Photo by Filippo Alfero - Juventus FC/Juventus FC via Getty Images

We scored two, but we could quite easily have had five or six.

Perhaps Messi and Dembele will grab the headlines for being the scorers who secured Barca’s first-ever win against Juve in Turin, but the reality is that Pedri deserves all of the glory.

The difficulty for the club now will be ensuring Pedri handles the pressure because expectations will be quickly ramped up where he is concerned. As with Ansu Fati, who has made a similarly remarkable impression, supporters need to be patient too.

There’ll be plenty of occasions this season where mistakes will be made - Ansu made an awful one at the death in this match - and the important thing is that they learn from them, and culers allow them that learning curve.

After a disappointing El Clasico, this performance - on top of having Bartomeu gone - has been just the tonic.

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