Xavi Hernandez‘s return to Barcelona saw the Spanish manager meet with a number of familiar faces. Is there room for another reunion? In a recent interview with Beteve, Pedro Rodriguez made it clear he would love to rejoin the Blaugrana.
“If they ask me and Xavi calls me, before he hangs up and regrets it, I’ll come,” Pedro said, as quoted by Barca Universal. At 36, the La Masia product is entering the final year of his contract with Lazio.
Though he made it clear he’s still committed to the Italian side, the veteran winger didn’t hide his desire to come full circle by retiring at the club that saw him become a professional player. However, Pedro knows that at this stage of his career, a return may not be on the cards.
“Barça is my team, but it’s very complicated for me to return, for many reasons, because of my age, but I would love to,” he added. “Retiring to Barça would be spectacular, but as I see it as distant and difficult, it’s something I don’t even consider.“
Pedro enjoyed a wonderful stint with Barcelona’s first team, even if he had the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar above him. Even without being a regular starter, the winger managed to record 99 goals and 62 assists in 321 appearances for the Blaugrana. Pedro left the Catalan side in 2015, spending time with Chelsea and Roma before joining Lazio in 2021.
Pedro shares thoughts on Xavi’s work as a coach
Apart from sharing his desire to retire at Barça, Pedro addressed his former teammate’s work at the helm of the squad. The recent results have put Xavi in a hot seat, but the winger believes the coach has what it takes to lead the Cules back to glory days.
“I have a lot of confidence in Xavi,” Pedro said. “He is a coach who gives his all, he has very good ideas about what he wants to do, which is to take Barça to the top as far as possible.”
While he thinks the team is in a good spot, the 36-year-old said people should be careful when making comparisons. Pedro was part of a star-studded team that won the treble twice, so he knows how hard it can be for others to deal with pressure:
“Generally speaking, I see them well: the problem is to compare eras. And that’s what happens a little bit, but in general terms I see them well with world-class players like Lewandowski, Raphinha. Maybe it’s not valued so much from inside, but here at Lazio I’m asked about these young players and how they can make a difference at that age.”
Pedro may have no room at Barcelona
While a reunion would be a nice way to call it a career, it’s hard to see Barcelona bring back Pedro. The club currently has countless options at his position, with the likes of Ferran Torres, Joao Felix, Raphinha, and Lamine Yamal.
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Should Pedro retire at Barcelona?
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Besides, the Blaugrana have already parted with a number of veteran players. Gerard Pique, Sergio Busquets, and Jordi Alba are just some of the big names that left the club recently. Additionally, the club is over the salary cap in LaLiga, so unless their situation changes drastically next year, Barca may not consider Pedro’s return.
