Pedri interview: Andrés Iniesta inspiration, Ballon d’Or aspirations and attending Barcelona fan clubs in his youth
Wednesday, April 30, 2025
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"I’m living everything I dreamt of," says Barcelona midfielder Pedri ahead of their UEFA Champions League semi-final against Inter.
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After attending Barcelona fan clubs during his childhood in Tenerife and taking inspiration from midfielder Andrés Iniesta, Pedri is now gearing up for Barcelona's Champions League semi-final tie against Inter, which kicks off with the first leg on Wednesday.
Relishing his first semi-final in this competition, the 22-year-old spoke to UEFA about his Barcelona fandom, memories of their 2015 Champions League triumph, Hansi Flick's leadership, and Ballon d'Or hopes.
On becoming a Barcelona fan
It’s my life. Since I was a young kid, that has been the case. I would always watch the games with my family, and my father always instilled it in me as a kid. I would always go to watch games at the supporters’ club and always wanted them to win, and now, I can enjoy it from the inside. I’m living everything I dreamt of, and right now, it’s everything to me.
I got to experience the moments where we won everything, with moments of great joy and celebrating goals. It’s a different environment to watching it at home, on the sofa with three friends. There are 30 or 40 people there who are experiencing it just as you are or even more so, and it’s wonderful seeing everyone supporting a team.
On Xavi, Andrés Iniesta inspiration
By watching so many matches on TV, watching videos of Andrés or Xavi, I think something sticks with you. You try to copy them, you try to practice it, but it’s tough to be at that level. So, you try to improve every day so that, one day, you can do what they did.
I would often watch an Iniesta video, who was my idol, and I would try to copy what he did in the video, or what he did in a specific play, how he protected the ball. You sometimes try to copy them; other times, you struggle because it’s tough, but you still try to do it in the best way possible.
On memories of Barcelona’s 2015 Champions League victory
I especially remember the final, [Ivan] Rakitić’s goal. It was a final I enjoyed a lot at the supporters’ club. It was an amazing final, particularly because of the playing style of the front three [of Neymar, Luis Suárez, and Lionel Messi]. They were genuine stars who had great numbers, and the football they played was very fun to watch.
On Hansi Flick and Barcelona’s high defensive line
It is a young squad and he is a father in the way that he always tries to look after us. He is there for you if you’re not playing. He always tries to help you and, asides from being strict – which he is and which you can see from outside – the side of him that you don’t see from outside is that he always tries to help you when you’re playing badly. He speaks to you, asks what’s wrong.
It was hard to adapt [to the high line], especially when I was watching it from the outside during pre-season and they were implementing it. But from the very start, I think the team has done it really well and when it works, and you see that something is going well with the coach’s idea, I think it gives you much more confidence.
Pedri talks Barcelona team-mates
On Gavi: "An amazing person. If he's with you, he's with you to the death, wherever he needs to go. That is a big part of who he is."
On Dani Olmo: "He's often surrounded by four defenders and with just one touch, those four are gone, and he's already facing the goal."
On Ferran Torres: "Ferran is like a brother to me. I think he's the one who's helped me the most – both on and off the pitch. Aside from the goals he scores, he's the one who works the hardest in every training session, always looking to improve."
On Ballon d’Or aspirations
Since Rodri won it, it’s shown that a player who runs the midfield and dictates the tempo and the rhythm of the game can win a Ballon d'Or. I was really pleased he won it because aside from the season he had, I really enjoy playing with him when I’m with the national team. He’s a player who controls the game really well, wins the ball back, gets forward, scores goals – he’s everywhere on the pitch.
It’s always been a dream of mine to lift the Ballon d'Or. But right now, there’s a month to go, and the focus is on the team – on winning the three trophies, which is what really matters and once that month’s over, we’ll see if we can start talking about things like that.