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Barcelona icon Andres Iniesta recently claimed that he hopes midfielder Pedri will be a better player than him. The 22-year-old is one of the most promising midfielders in world football today.
Pedri rose from the ranks of the Las Palmas academy before joining Barcelona in 2019. The Spaniard is known for his immaculate ball control and his ability to orchestrate the game from the midfield. These attributes have led to fans and pundits likening him to the legendary Andres Iniesta, who's unanimously considered a club legend.
Pedri also shares the retired Spanish midfielder's number eight shirt, which he has worn since the 2022-23 season. In 174 appearances for Barcelona, the midfielder has contributed 24 goals and 17 assists.
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In a recent interview (h/t Barca Universal), Andres Iniesta said that he hopes Pedri proves himself to be better than him and helps Barcelona win multiple titles, including the UEFA Champions League. Iniesta was notably a part of Barca's 2014-15 treble-winning squad which last won the UCL for the club.
"Is Pedri like me? I hope he is better than me. We want the best for our team and we wish them the best and that we win titles and glory again, this year we want the Champions League," Iniesta said.
Andres Iniesta rose from the ranks of Barcelona's La Masia youth academy and spent 16 seasons with the senior team between 2002 and 2018.
The Spaniard won 32 titles with his boyhood side - second only to Lionel Messi - including four UEFA Champions League titles, nine LaLiga titles, and six Copa del Rey titles. Iniesta contributed 57 goals and 135 assists in 674 outings for La Blaugrana across competitions.
"He seems like an extraordinary talent" - When Andres Iniesta shared his thoughts on Barcelona prodigy Lamine Yamal
In an October 2024 interview with SPORT, Barcelona icon Andres Iniesta shared his thoughts on rising star Lamine Yamal. At 17, Yamal has drawn comparisons to the likes of Lionel Messi and Neymar Jr owing to his exceptional flair with the ball and his precise dribbling abilities.
“He seems like an extraordinary talent to me. At 17 he has done very important and above-average things, and now the important thing is to continue to look after him and make sure that everything is strictly controlled so that he continues to develop and grow. He is very young and he will have to improve every year to maintain this progress," Iniesta said.
Like Andres Iniesta, Lamine Yamal is a product of Barca's La Masia academy. He was also key to Spain's victory in the 2024 Euros, which marked La Roja's first Euro win since 2012.
Iniesta was notably a part of the 2012 squad that won the Euros that year. He was instrumental in their triumph while forming one of the best midfield trios in football with Xavi and Sergio Busquets. The golden generation of Spain also won the 2008 Euros and the 2010 World Cup.
