A Reflective Look at Messi’s Final Season at Barcelona and Pedri’s Rise

At the onset of the 2020-21 season, few could have anticipated that it would be Lionel Messi’s last with FC Barcelona. Set against the challenges of the Covid-19 pandemic, which necessitated matches to be played without fans, Barcelona managed to secure the Copa del Rey but fell short in La Liga, finishing third as Atletico Madrid clinched the title on the final day. In the UEFA Champions League, Barcelona faced an early exit, eliminated by Paris Saint-Germain in the round of 16. Despite these setbacks, Messi’s individual performance remained stellar, amassing 38 goals and 14 assists across 47 matches in all competitions.

This season also marked the debut for Pedri, who joined Barcelona from Las Palmas for €5 million (£4.3m/$5.9m). Although he had not previously played in Spain’s top division, Pedri quickly made his mark, participating in 52 matches throughout the season.

Recently, Messi made an unannounced visit to the newly renovated Camp Nou. In a conversation with Esquire, Pedri shared that he was unaware of Messi’s visit until he saw it trending on social media. He expressed a desire to reconnect with the football legend, stating, “I wish we could have met up for a bit. Without a doubt, I would love to see him back at Barcelona. He’s the best ever, and he helped me a lot during our time together.”

When asked to name the current top players in football, Pedri did not mention Messi but highlighted two of his Barcelona teammates, along with stars from La Liga and the Premier League: “Mbappe, Lamine [Yamal], [Mohamed] Salah, [Erling] Haaland, Raphinha, and Julian Alvarez are the best in the world,” he noted. He expressed eagerness to face them on the pitch, particularly naming Haaland and Salah as players he has yet to compete against.

Barcelona currently holds a four-point lead over Real Madrid at the top of La Liga and has advanced to the last 16 of the Copa del Rey, with a semi-final match against Athletic Club in the Supercopa de España scheduled for January. However, they are presently positioned 15th in the Champions League group standings.

Meanwhile, Messi recently celebrated winning the MLS Cup with Inter Miami, alongside former Barcelona teammates Luis Suarez, Jordi Alba, and Sergio Busquets. At 38 years old, he also made history by winning the MLS MVP award for the second consecutive year. Although he has remained non-committal about a return to Barcelona, presidential candidate Marc Ciria has pledged to do “whatever it takes” to bring the legendary player back to the club.