Pedri’s Injury Damps Barcelona’s European Aspirations

In a thrilling match on a frigid evening in Prague, Pedri contributed significantly as Barcelona navigated an unpredictable encounter. Despite falling behind early, Fermin Lopez turned the tide by scoring twice within eight minutes during the first half, leveling the score before the interval when Polish striker Robert Lewandowski inadvertently found his own net.

Pedri, instrumental in orchestrating play from the midfield, was substituted in the 61st minute for Dani Olmo. Shortly thereafter, Olmo made a swift impact, helping Barcelona regain the lead. Lewandowski then redeemed himself by scoring, thus marking his first European goal for the 2025-26 season.

Post-match, Coach Flick addressed Pedri’s condition, indicating that the outlook was concerning. He stated, “I don’t know what he has exactly, but it’s the hamstring. It is what it is. Sometimes these things happen. I don’t know how long he will be out. It’s not good news. We will see [on Thursday].”

Pedri has faced various injury challenges since joining Barcelona, particularly with muscular issues. However, he had managed to stay relatively injury-free during Flick’s tenure. Notably, he missed five matches in October due to hamstring problems and another in December because of a calf injury.

Later, Barcelona confirmed the severity of Pedri’s injury via a statement: “Tests conducted this morning have confirmed that Pedri has suffered a muscle injury in the biceps femoris of his right leg, sustained during the match against Slavia Prague. The expected recovery time is one month.”

Despite Pedri’s absence, Barcelona performed commendably against Slavia Prague, with Fermin Lopez showcasing his talent once again. Lopez, who previously scored a Champions League hat-trick against Olympiacos, has now reached double figures for goals this season across all competitions.

Flick praised Lopez, emphasizing his importance to the club, stating, “Fermin is a fantastic player. It was important for him and the club that he stayed here last summer because he came through at Barcelona; he lives for Barca. I appreciate a lot what I saw today.”

Barcelona currently sits ninth in the Champions League table, aiming for a top-eight finish to qualify directly for the knockout stages. They have one remaining match against FC Copenhagen on January 28, which is critical for their advancement.

Flick expressed the urgency of securing a win against Copenhagen, acknowledging the challenges posed by potential absences: “It won’t be easy to beat Copenhagen. We don’t know if Ferran [Torres] will be back, maybe Pedri won’t play now, Frenkie [de Jong] will be suspended. But we will get Lamine [Yamal] back, it’s true, and we have a good opportunity to make the top eight. We didn’t start the Champions League well, but with one game left, we have a chance to be where we want to be still.”

Teenage sensation Yamal, who missed the match against Slavia due to suspension, is expected to return for their upcoming fixture against Real Oviedo. Currently, Barcelona tops the Liga standings, although Real Madrid trails closely behind, just one point away. Following a surprising 2-1 defeat to Real Sociedad in their last domestic match, Barcelona is now under pressure to maintain their lead.