La Liga Player Profile - Pedro, Barcelona
By David Phillips
Full Name - Pedro Rodríguez Ledesma
Age - 22 (July 28, 1987)
Position - Winger/Forward
Club - Barcelona
Nationality - Spanish
Pedro is the latest graduate of Barcelona’s cantera youth academy to make an impression on the first team. A native of Tenerife, he joined Barcelona at the age of 17 from his local side San Isidro. Playing for various Barcelona youth and reserve teams, he caught the attention of then Barça B coach Pep Guardiola. Under Frank Rijkaard, Pedro made just two appearances for the first team in the 2007/08 season, but as Guardiola took over as first team coach, Pedro saw his first team involvement increase.
He was Guradiola’s most used player in the 2008/09 pre-season as Pep sought to integrate him into the first team squad. He eventually went on to make 14 appearances in all competitions. Such was Guardiola’s faith in Pedro, that these 14 appearances included both the finals of the Copa Del Rey and Champions League. During this season, he continued to switch between first and B team duties, managing to score an impressive 10 goals in 17 games for Barcelona B.
After a slow but steady rise, the youngster’s potential has come to fruition in the 2009/10 season. Pedro has made a blistering start to the campaign, scoring nine goals in 16 appearances to date. As well as this impressive return, he has shown an uncanny knack of scoring important goals. His stunning strike against Almeria was the breakthrough that gave the Catalans a vital 1-0 victory:
This strike gave Barcelona the three points against a strong and organised outfit that otherwise stifled their creativity. The result also meant that the Catalans returned to the top of the table, heaping pressure upon Real Madrid who went on to lose against Sevilla the following day. As well as this strike, he also scored the winner against Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup, controlling the ball in a single touch before knocking it out of his feet and unleashing an unstoppable drive into the corner:
So, as well as an ability to score important goals, Pedro has also demonstrated a penchant for the spectacular. His goals are varied, indicating his movement and comfort at drifting across the field and Pedro’s versatility has been a huge factor in his increasingly prominent role. In the mould of the archetypal cantera graduate, he is very composed in possession and comfortable in any of the forward positions. Although he is primarily left footed, he can finish equally well with either foot - a feat that he has displayed ably so far this season. His flexibility has meant that he regularly deputises for Thierry Henry and Lionel Messi in the wing forward positions, similarly able to drift inside to lethal effect. His ability to attack the goal using either foot before playing an intricate one-two or unleashing a stinging drive gives him an element of unpredictability that defenders struggle to deal with.
He is also very cool under pressure and is a clinical finisher, aspects of his game that have seen him play in a central striker’s role in place of Zlatan Ibrahimovic. In fact, it was as Zlatan’s replacement that Pedro experienced his finest moment in Barça colours. In the UEFA Super Cup, an organised and hard working Shakhtar Donetsk were proving difficult to break down, with the game seemingly destined for 0-0 and penalties. Pedro’s introduction added an attacking spark to Barça’s play and after some intricate passing with Messi, Pedro found the vital breakthrough to give them a 1-0 victory.
Pedro’s versatility is currently giving him his chance to impress, but it remains to be seen whether this is a blessing or a curse. Whilst this has undoubtedly given him his breakthrough, it may mean that he struggles to establish himself as a first team regular as it remains unclear what his best position is.
For now though he is gaining increasingly more first team exposure and experience and Guardiola may yet discern his best position. At the age of 22 he has time on his side, and having just signed a new contract with a minimum fee release clause of £68m, he will remain at Barcelona under Guardiola’s guidance for a long time yet.
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