In the hard-fought victory at Ciutat de Valencia, many things became clear. Some are concerning, such as the defensive fragility shown by FC Barcelona in the first 45 minutes. Or that the idea of using Rashford on the left wing to move Raphinha to the attacking midfield did not yield good results, at least at first. However, others give plenty of reason to be very optimistic about this team. It became clear again that Barça keeps intact the grit that allowed it to come back countless times last season. It also showed that Lamine Yamal doesn't shy away even in matches where he is not sharp in dribbling, constantly appearing and generating panic in the opposing defense. Finally, Pedri continues to be at a superb level, proving that, as unlikely as it may seem, perfection can be achieved on a soccer field.
The player from Tegueste delivered another outstanding match in Valencian territory, and there have already been many. In the first half, he moved the ball as he usually does, but the team up front did not have its usual finesse and explosiveness. However, it was in the second half when the player from Tenerife literally carried the team on his back, leading a comeback that he himself started with a superb shot from the edge of the box—a missile that went into the top corner of Levante's goal and made the legs of the home side tremble as their lead was cut. Pedri has been showing for some time now that he can also be a midfielder who gets forward, and if not, just ask Real Madrid in the last cup final, where the former Las Palmas player also scored a truly stunning goal from distance.
Without that psychological goal, because it came right after the match resumed following halftime, it would have been very difficult for Barça to complete the comeback successfully. There was one match before Pedri's goal and a completely different one after, with Levante already extremely insecure and the blaugrana side even confident that it would end up turning the score around. The soccer masterclass from the former Las Palmas player did not stop there; he shifted the match up a gear just when his team needed to increase the intensity, suffocating an opponent already physically and mentally depleted. The match was played the way Pedri wanted. The ball moved faster than in the first half, and Levante's defense could no longer cover all the gaps that were opening up, thanks to a conductor who always knows what is best for his team.
As if that were not enough, we also saw the Canary Island midfielder exhaust himself trying to win the ball back. With Barça pushing forward in search of the winning goal and Levante desperately trying to counterattack, the youngster even allowed himself the luxury of stealing a few balls to keep possession. In Valencia, Pedri set the pace of play at all times, moving the ball at the speed the match required and directing the attack to the left or right depending on what he thought was best for his team. He exhausted himself in defense and knew how to keep possession of the ball when the result was already favorable. He single-handedly dominated the midfield in a match that became very difficult for Barça. He was responsible for scoring a truly stunning goal that laid the foundation for the subsequent comeback. FC Barcelona fans, enjoy the complete midfielder because he exists and you have him at home; his name is Pedro González, but you can call him Pedri.