"Are Barcelona going to win 90% of their league games when Pedri plays next season? No.
The question, rather, is what difference he would make in one where he doesn?t play half as many minutes as Toni Kroos and Luka Modrić ? his opposite numbers across the Cl?sico divide. Pedri is an essential figure for Xavi, and despite his age, perhaps the most irreplaceable player in the team?s front six for making the Barcelona machine function.
Pedri is Xavi?s football theory brought to life.
Until recent advancements in football data, Pedri had been one of those players whose game could never really be reflected in the numbers ? in some ways, of course, it never will be in its entirety. With the obvious lack of goals and assists, however, Opta?s sequence data offers a window into his effect on the team?s general play.
Across the last two seasons in La Liga, the 19-year-old leads all central and attacking midfielders for his involvement in open play sequences when valued by xG (0.79 per 90). In other words, this metric captures how effective a player has been in contributing to chance creation in sequences of play that involve him.
Similarly, Pedri also tops the ranking in his position group for his involvement in build-up sequences of play (0.54 xG per 90) ? highlighting his role in facilitating chance creation at the end of longer spells of play.
As previously mentioned, the likes of Pedri and Gavi don?t currently have the weight of involvement that midfielders in the Guardiola era previously did. Of course, that has a lot to do with their age, along with the changing environment in the years after Guardiola. Pedri?s effect on the current side is overwhelming proof, however, of just how important the midfield area remains to Barcelona. It was plainly evident what the team lost in his absence last term.
With an active pre-season under his belt and a clean bill of health, Pedri will return in 2022-23 as the face of a wider youth drive at Barcelona. The difference is that now, following the off-season, that core of youth players is embedded within one of Europe?s best playing squads. That hadn?t been the case in the immediate aftermath of Messi?s departure, whereby Pedri?s responsibility was transformed in a Barcelona team looking for reasons for optimism."
https://theanalyst.com/eu/2022/08/o...nating-summer-news-what-becomes-of-barcelona/
Great article from Opta. It's up to Xavi's setup now