Sevilla – Barcelona: Barca needs to recharge Pedri

05/10/2025 07:28:00 FieldFrenzy

The recent loss to PSG showed that Hansi Flick’s Barca has not yet broken the habit of conceding goals late in matches, along with over-relying on Pedri.

At Montjuic, Goncalo Ramos’ goal in the 90th minute revealed a significant problem: Flick’s Barca seemed to be "out of fuel" when facing the intensity and craftiness of European competition. This was even clearer through Pedri’s visible exhaustion in the closing moments.

In reality, Barca performed well in the first 30 minutes with chances created by Lamine Yamal and an opening goal scored by Ferran Torres – who seems to have won the fight to be the "number 9" over Lewandowski. However, things turned around when PSG equalized, especially after the break.

Yamal lost his effectiveness in one-on-one battles against Nuno Mendes. The Portuguese left-back had a very strong game. On the other flank, Hakimi’s fast breaks put Barca under great pressure. PSG dominated thanks to superior pressing, pushing the home side from being proactive to reactive. Flick’s players also pressed but inconsistently and without rhythm. In Luis Enrique’s "advanced class," Pedri slowly ran out of steam.

Pedri was precise in the first half, demonstrating his ability to control the ball, distribute, and regulate the game’s tempo. He was the soul of the play, helping Barca dominate the midfield. Yet, like a phone running at full capacity, Pedri’s energy noticeably dropped around the middle of the second half. As his stamina declined, his pressing and contesting abilities diminished, allowing PSG’s midfield, especially Vitinha, to start taking control.

Pedri faded, and Barca ran out of breath against PSG

Vitinha, with his endurance and skill, controlled the tempo, constantly making intelligent off-ball movements, turning the midfield into PSG’s own stage. He showed Barca why he is among the Top 3 Ballon d’Or contenders for 2025, with a long pass from his own half setting up Hakimi’s cross for Ramos to seal the 2-1 result.

Flick cannot blame injuries to Gavi or Fermin Lopez. Since the season began, even before those unfortunate midfield injuries, he has already been exhausting Pedri. Luis Enrique noticed this and knows Barca well. That is why Enrique proposed a reasonable solution to "steal Pedri’s magic wand" – whom he likened to Harry Potter before the match.

This weekend is Sevilla, a team not very strong but not to be underestimated. Sevilla is still rebuilding after last season’s crisis. The team, led by Matias Almeyda, an Argentine coach with many past successes, is showing its own style. Current Sevilla is a blend of experience and youth, highlighted by midfielder Agoume Lucien.

From Barca’s narrow win over Sociedad and the loss to PSG, Sevilla will surely apply a similar approach: maintaining high intensity and fitness. The match is an opportunity for Flick to "recharge" Pedri and also to refresh Barca’s energy. Youngsters Marc Bernal and Casado are always ready to substitute for Pedri. This change also represents a tactical adjustment to diversify the system, since no one can fully replace Pedri’s role.

In other words, the trip to Sevilla is a moment for Flick to find additional solutions. He needs a new formula, a midfield combination not entirely dependent on Pedri’s "energy source," to ensure the team doesn’t run out of steam.

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