The password in 2027: Flick changes his strategy with Pedri

The Catalan newspaper "Sport" report that Flick knows this only too well. He has always handed the keys of the midfield to the Canary Islands native, and while a player of Rodri's calibre has sharpened the quality of the Blaugrana engine room considerably, the owner of the number 8 shirt will remain the cornerstone of the German's project at the Camp Nou, especially when the decisive moments in the title race arrive.

One specific detail confirms Flick's determination to have Pedri hit peak physical fitness by 2027.

A clear shift in strategy emerged with the start of the season. As his coach explained, the Las Palmas native reaches his physical peak when he keeps a steady rhythm, playing every three days.

The congested schedule demands the utmost caution. In the relentless pace of modern football, it is almost impossible for any player to avoid minor aches or injuries without enough rest.

Pedri has featured in all 16 matches Barcelona have played this season, missing none, racking up 1,111 minutes so far.

Only Lamine Yamal (1,355 minutes), goalkeeper Joan García (1,305 minutes) and Pau Cubarsí (1,142 minutes) sit above him for minutes played.

Yet Pedri has completed a full match (90 minutes) on only three occasions, equivalent to 18.75% of his total appearances. He has always come off before the 85th minute, though he has played more than 75 minutes in seven matches.

These figures mark a complete break from Flick's first two seasons in charge at Barcelona. In 2024/2025, Pedri saw out 23 of the 59 matches he featured in (a rate of 38.9%), and on seven other occasions he was withdrawn from the 88th minute onwards, which in practice meant he was spared only stoppage time.

Last season, the proportion of matches he started and finished climbed higher still, reaching 41.8% (18 of 43 matches), on top of five further instances in which he came off before the fourth official signalled stoppage time.

The rate this season is far smaller, and the data confirms beyond any doubt that Flick is making a conscious effort to preserve Pedri wherever he can.

Naturally, the Blaugrana coach values having varied options in the middle of the park. With Frenkie de Jong back, the German can now call on Gavi, Fermín López and Bernal, alongside the currently injured pair Dani Olmo and Rodri.

After the latest international break of 2026, Barcelona close out the year with 8 matches in less than a month, and some of them will be brutally tough. The team face strong opponents in Manchester City, Atlético Madrid (again), Villarreal and Real Sociedad.

Depending on how many minutes Pedri clocks up for Spain over the two remaining rounds of the UEFA Nations League, Flick will keep managing his involvement with great care. The aim is simple: keep him pivotal in the midfield now, and have him primed to kick on with even greater force in 2027.