Barcelona midfielder Pedri has insisted that he values the appreciation of fans more than any recognition offered by the Ballon d’Or, even if plenty of lofty figures in the sport are outraged on his behalf.
Despite orchestrating Barcelona’s clean sweep of domestic titles last season with a consistent string of mesmeric midfield performances, Pedri didn’t crack the top 10 of this year’s Ballon d’Or vote. Seeing the 22-year-old schemer end up in 11th place, below both of Paris Saint-Germain’s fullbacks and Chelsea’s mercurial talisman Cole Palmer, was a surprise for many. But Pedri wasn’t fussed.
“I feel valued at my club, in the national team. That’s the most important thing. I’m left with the affection of the fans,” he told assembled media this week.
Not everyone was so forgiving. After collecting a record-setting third Ballon d’Or Féminin crown, Barcelona midfielder Aitana Bonmatí quickly shifted the focus onto her compatriot: “We need to talk more about Pedri.”
Pedri found Bonmatí’s comments harder to ignore than France Football’s judgement. “If she says it, we have to listen to her, because she’s won three Ballons d'Or. It couldn’t be better,” he gushed.
Barcelona’s ‘Harry Potter’ Out for Revenge
Much like Bonmatí, Paris Saint-Germain manager Luis Enrique is a big fan of the diminutive figure dictating Barcelona’s matches. “I said about Pedri a while ago he is Harry Potter, and I hope that tomorrow he doesn’t bring his magic wand,” the Spanish boss beamed before Wednesday’s Champions League clash between PSG and Barça. “We’ll try to do everything we can so he participates as little as possible.”
Pedri is heading into that fixture with added motivation. The Catalan giants were denied a meeting with PSG in last year’s Champions League final despite leading Inter 6–5 on aggregate in the final minute of a dramatic semifinal.
“All of us who are Barça fans were one step away from going through,” Pedri lamented. “It was a difficult match, and we want to get that revenge. Next year, you always want to see what you’ve left behind. It’s one of the best matches in the world, and one of the best you want to play in.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Most Important’—Pedri Breaks Silence on Ballon d’Or Snub.
