Xabi Alonso and Real Madrid face the Pedri puzzle in the Clásico

One of last season’s most viral plays came when Barcelona’s Pedri controlled a ball in midfield after a Cubarsí interception, launched it long to Lamine, then appeared on the edge of the box to curl a shot into Courtois’s top right corner. 

The opener in the Copa del Rey final. A goal that sums up the complete version of Pedri Barcelona has rediscovered under Hansi Flick. And a version that has carried into this season. The Canary Islander leads LaLiga in completed passes (747) with a 91.1% success rate. But he also tops the league in recoveries (62), proof of his extraordinary feel for the game.

Pedri on fire

Pedri has played every official match of the season so far, and until the last international break, Flick had given him barely 4% of total minutes off the pitch. That’s changed in the past two matches. Against Girona, with the score tied 1-1, Flick subbed him off with half an hour still to play. Against Olympiacos, he played 80 minutes. Likely aware of the demanding week ahead, Flick made the call to give him a breather.

Pedri heads into El Clásico in peak condition. During the last international window, he delivered a masterclass with Spain after enduring two matches in which Luis Enrique and Almeyda had assigned man-markers to suffocate him—against PSG and Sevilla, respectively. That was when Pedri called for more outlets to escape pressure.

How does Xabi Alonso deal with Pedri?

The big question now is whether Xabi Alonso will assign him a shadow for the Clásico. If the Basque coach opts to use Valverde at right-back, Tchouameni could be the one. Valverde would also be an option in midfield if Xabi wants a more physical setup. It’s safe to assume Flick and his staff have considered the scenario and are already planning escape routes—through Balde and De Jong’s runs, and the Lamine Yamal card.

Assigning a shadow to Pedri could also backfire on Xabi. First, it would show he’s tailoring his plan around the opponent; and second, it could leave key areas of the pitch exposed if Pedri reads the move and drags his marker out of position. The tactical battle has already begun.