Near-perfect display – Barcelona midfield ace dazzles with 90% pass accuracy and pinpoint long balls vs Kobe – Opinion | OneFootball

FC Barcelona faced Vissel Kobe in their first pre-season friendly, as Hansi Flick’s men continued their preparations for the 2025/26 season. The German coach will be pleased with what he saw from his side.

Flick’s men ran out 3–1 winners over the Japanese team, with Eric Garcia, Roony Bardghji, and Dro getting on the scoresheet. The coach used two different XIs for each half, with the second 45 minutes arguably looking more threatening than the first.

However, it’s worth noting that most of the superstars featured in the first-half lineup. While some of them looked rusty after a long break, one player who hardly missed a beat in midfield was Pedri.

Pedri did not miss a beat

Pedri Potter was back in action against Vissel Kobe. (Photo by Paul Miller/Getty Images)

As per stats from SofaScore, Pedri played 45 minutes against Kobe, recording 58 touches off the ball. He completed 47 out of 52 attempted passes at an impressive accuracy of 90% including 1 key pass and 5/5 long balls.

Pedri also attempted one dribble and successfully completed it. As always, the Spaniard was heavily involved defensively, winning all three of his attempted ground duels. All in all, it was another tidy performance from the Canary Islands midfielder.

What was most impressive about Pedri’s performance was that he didn’t look like a player who had been out of action for nearly two months. The Spaniard showed little to no signs of rust against Kobe.

New dimensions to Pedri’s game

With Frenkie de Jong absent in the first half, Pedri showcased another dimension of his game as he frequently dropped deep, almost between the two central defenders, to collect the ball and drive forward with it at his feet.

Whenever Pedri plays well, Barcelona inevitably follow suit. He will be hoping to build on yesterday’s display against Vissel Kobe and continue improving in the upcoming matches. Let’s wait and see how the 22-year-old fares in the games ahead.