Barcelona maestro opens up about physical preparation helping minimise injuries – ‘Found the right formula’ | OneFootball

During the leadership of Hansi Flick, Barcelona have witnessed a lot of success stories, including the rise of Lamine Yamal, the resurgence of Raphinha and the signing of Joan Garcia.

However, another big takeaway from the Flick regime has been Pedri reinventing himself, from a fitness perspective.

Although injuries have never really left him, Pedri is no longer the fragile midfielder he once was and has been one of Barcelona’s most-used players under Flick.

Pedri on his fitness, gym routine and more

In a recent interaction at a Decathlon event (h/t Mundo Deportivo), Pedri has opened up about the changes he has made to his lifestyle that have contributed to his improved physical condition.

“We found the right formula in my physical preparation to try to minimise injuries. I’ve managed to achieve the consistency I needed,” he said.

A key part of that formula has been the gym, with the midfielder more frequently doing strength training.

Pedri has shown a great improvement in his fitness under Flick. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

“The results you get from strength training sessions at the gym are spectacular. Besides helping to prevent injuries, it increases power in snatches and improves turns,” he said.

Perhaps the most interesting change, however, came on the advice of a teammate. Ferran Torres, who already practised intermittent fasting, convinced Pedri to try it.

“I feel much better since then and I’m going to continue with it. I eat two meals a day, lunch and dinner,” he added.

“I only eat breakfast on match days, and I eat a pretty big one.” He said in a recent appearance on El Hormiguero alongside Torres, both players admitted to eating waffles with chocolate before matches as a way of loading up on carbohydrates.

Finally, Pedri, who is chasing a personal milestone this season, admitted he does have one weakness, as far as his diet is concerned.

“I find it very difficult to resist the ham croquettes my mother makes. I only try them occasionally after a match,” he concluded.