For the first time in the Hansi Flick Era Barcelona will have to manage something they’ve unfortunately had to deal with plenty of times before: a lengthy injury absence for midfield superstar Pedri.
The Wizard, who had played 72 of 73 games under Flick before suffering a hamstring tear after the loss in El Clasico, is expected to miss at least a month while some more pessimistic projections — which usually turn out to be true when it comes to Barça’s injured players — have him missing the rest of 2025.
This is obviously a monster headache for Flick, who has to figure out a way to replace his most important player, the engine in midfield and the sole creative force for his team so far this season. The coach admitted in a press conference on Saturday that the injury caught him by surprise, and the team has no choice but to move on without Pedri for a little while.
“The injury surprised us. After playing against Real Madrid, he only felt fatigued. Then the injury was discovered. We have to accept it. We’re missing one of our key players. He gives us stability and a lot of possession. We have to manage.”
Barça will undoubtedly be worse without the best midfielder on the planet, but how much worse is the key to them maintaining some level of stability. Frenkie de Jong will likely inherit Pedri’s responsibilities and will have a more defensive player alongside him in either Marc Casadó or possibly Eric Garcia if Flick decides to experiment, so the Dutchman might flourish in Pedri’s role to help keep Barça afloat until his double pivot partner returns.
