Pedri has crowned his Barcelona teammate Lamine Yamal the best player in the world right now, stressing the need to help him stay calm and enjoy his football.
Speaking at a press conference on Tuesday ahead of the clash with Paris Saint-Germain in the third round of the Champions League league phase, Pedri said: "It will be an enjoyable match, and the team that has the ball tomorrow will be able to tip the balance of the match in its favour. We are confident in our ability to achieve that. Vitinha is one of the players who make the difference, and his impact is clearly evident when he has the ball, and I love facing the best players."
Asked whether he viewed the fixture as an early final, he added: "We are approaching the match as a very difficult encounter against a strong opponent. There is still a long way to go before reaching the finals, but of course we want to win it."
Rodri's influence in midfield drew warm words too. "He gives us a lot when it comes to securing and controlling the midfield," Pedri said. "He controls the area considerably, and he gives me the freedom to move forward because I know he will always be there in his place. He is a player who makes the difference, and he has raised the level of the team. And regardless of who plays, everyone shows their ability to put in a good performance."
A brutal week looms, with Paris first and then the Clasico. "At Barcelona, what is required is to win every match," he explained. "You must always be at your best, and enter every encounter with the aim of winning."
Revenge is on his mind, too. "When someone manages to beat you, you always feel a desire to get your own back," Pedri said. "For me, this match is one of the best possible encounters given the style of play, and I will enjoy it as much as any player can enjoy a match like this."
His own standing inside the dressing room has grown. "I feel I am an important player and one of the leaders of the team," he said. "I try to help the young players, as I have spent several years at the club and I know to some extent the nature of Barcelona from the inside. I am ready to help them bring out the best in themselves."
Getty ImagesThen came a playful warning for former teammate Ferran Torres. "I hope he is not at his best tomorrow," he commented. "I wish him the best of luck in the rest of the season, and we talk to each other. I have nothing to say to him, and all I wish is that luck does not favour him too much."
Hansi Flick has handed Pedri longer rest periods this term, a shift the midfielder put down to the demands of the campaign. "These are matters that the coach decides, but it is true that the season is long," he said. "It is important to maintain the level at all times, as this is the key point in the end, because titles are decided at the end of the season."
What about the contrast between life with Spain and Barcelona, given Rodri's presence? Pedri pointed to the differing methods of the two coaches. "The ideas of the coaches at the two teams differ. At Barcelona we play in a more direct manner, and we rely on pressing to a greater extent. But on the pitch, the understanding with a player does not differ much whether you play with him at Barcelona or with the national team."
He signed off by praising Lamine Yamal, backing the teenager to make his own way in the game: "I have always seen Lamine eager to give his best and to shine. He is a player who makes the difference, and he should not look to anyone else, but rather he must forge his own path. Lamine is currently the best player in the world, and we must help him stay calm and enjoy his football."