The password in 2027: Flick changes his strategy with Pedri

Pedri, the Barcelona star, delivered an exceptional performance at the Metropolitano stadium last Sunday. His display was outstanding against Atletico Madrid as he led Barca to a 2-1 victory, sending a strong message that he remains a key pillar in German coach Hansi Flick's system, as he raises the level of the Blaugrana noticeably.

For its part, the Catalan newspaper "Sport" noted that Flick is well aware of this. He has always handed the keys of the midfield to the Canary Islander, and while a player of Rodri's calibre has sharpened the quality of the Blaugrana engine room, the owner of the number 8 shirt will always remain the cornerstone of the German coach's project at the Camp Nou fortress, especially when the decisive moments arrive in the fight for silverware.

One specific detail confirms the German coach's determination to bring Pedri to peak physical fitness by 2027.

A clear shift in Flick's thinking emerged at the start of the season when it came to managing Pedri's minutes. As his coach explained, the Las Palmas man hits his physical peak when he keeps a steady rhythm, playing every three days.

The brutally congested calendar demands caution, though. At the pace of modern football, almost no player can dodge the odd knock or injury without a decent spell of rest.

Pedri has featured in all 16 matches Barcelona have played this season. He has missed nothing, racking up 1,111 minutes so far.

Only three players top him for minutes: Lamine Yamal (1,355), goalkeeper Joan Garcia (1,305) and Pau Cubarsi (1,142).

Yet Pedri has completed a full 90 minutes on only three occasions, just 18.75% of his appearances, and he has always come off before the 85th minute despite passing the 75-minute mark in seven games.

These numbers point to an approach utterly different from Flick's first two seasons in charge of Barcelona. In 2024/2025, Pedri saw out 23 of his 59 matches in full, a rate of 38.9%, and on seven other occasions came off from the 88th minute onwards, meaning he was spared only the stoppage-time minutes in practice.

Last season the share rose higher still, reaching 41.8% as he started and finished 18 matches out of 43, with five more instances in which he was withdrawn before the fourth official raised the board for added time.

The current rate is far lower, and the data leaves no doubt: Flick is making a conscious effort to protect Pedri as much as he can.

No wonder the Blaugrana boss values options in midfield. With Frenkie de Jong back, the German can now lean on Gavi, Fermin Lopez and Bernal, alongside the injured pair of Dani Olmo and Rodri.

Beyond the last international break of 2026, Barcelona will close out the year with 8 matches in under a month. Some will be ferociously tough, with Manchester City, Atletico Madrid (again), Villarreal and Real Sociedad all on the fixture list.

How many minutes Pedri clocks up for Spain across the two remaining Nations League rounds will shape the plan. Flick will keep handling the player with the utmost care, keeping him pivotal in the middle and primed to kick on with even greater force in 2027.