da bwin： As the dust settles on what was a truly enchanting encounter at the Bernabeu last week, the one stat that leapt out at me amongst the Messi love-in was that winger Pedro Rodriguez has scored 18 goals in 6 different competitions this term for the Catalan side, quite the return for what is his first season in first team football.
da pinup bet： It’s a testament to Barca manager Pep Guardiola’s managerial skills that the 22 year old Rodriguez’s ascension to the starting eleven has taken place so seamlessly. As manager of the B-Team at Barcelona up until the 2007-8 season where upon he was promoted to the top job at the Camp Nou, he’s taken Pedro with him to great effect after blooding him in easily last term.
Pedro has scored 8 in the league, 3 in the Spanish Cup, and 3 in the Champions League as well as 4 others spread over the FIFA Club World Cup and the UEFA and Spanish Super Cups, in short, a big game player.
His performance against Real Madrid was pretty quiet by his standards but when given the chance after being put through by another sublime ball by midfield maestro Xavi, he executed the chance brilliantly with a clinical finish.
The strength in depth of the Spanish national side means that Pedro is yet to strut his stuff on the international stage as yet, but European football is most definitely the pinnacle of the game these days in terms of quality and it’s only a matter of time. With Jesus Navas having conquered his chronic homesickness at long last, Valencia duo Juan Mata and David Silva established and Villareal’s Santi Cazorla waiting in the wings, it’s increasingly looking like this summer’s World Cup could come a tournament too soon for him.
The extent to which Pedro’s presence has been felt has meant Thierry Henry has been made almost redundant, reduced to a role on the periphery which is surprising considering Pedro’s relative lack of experience and Henry’s role and importance last term, not to mention his great form which wielded 25 goals in 41 games.
Henry has since been linked with moves back to the Premiership after failing to break into the Barca side this year with Pedro’s own form blocking his path, injuries have played their part too and this year he’s made only 18 starts in all competitions and even a move to the US has been mooted with several MLS franchises (I hate that word in reference to sport – soulless yanks) rumoured to be chasing his signature.
With almost every opposition defender worrying about the world’s greatest footballer in Argentine Lionel Messi, and quite rightfully too, the space created by Maradona’s heir apparent by opponents doubling and in some instances even trebling up on him, has meant Pedro has been given room to roam at times almost unchecked, but it’s in the way he’s exploited this space to devastating effect that remains most impressive.
I’d argue that there hasn’t been a better surprise package in the whole of Europe this season than Pedro. Few, if any, would have quite predicted the campaign the young winger is having right now, most thought he’d be involved to a larger extent that last season but with Henry firmly placed in the side, it’s taken quite an effort to shift the Frenchman and his consistency must have pleased boss Guardiola.
The pressure of playing for arguably the decade’s best footballing side cannot be easy to handle, but the way Pedro has gone about his business is admirable and the tricky winner looks capable of adding to his already impressive trophy haul this year alone with Barcelona looking favourites to retain both La Liga and the Champions League.
Written By James McManus