‘I’m not happy‘ — Barcelona star issues honest criticism despite being named MOTM vs Girona | OneFootball

FC Barcelona edged past regional rivals Girona with a hard-fought 2-1 win in La Liga on Saturday night, as Pedri opened the scoring for the Blaugrana and capped off his performance by being named Man of the Match.

However, despite the positive result, the Canary Islander was far from satisfied with the team’s overall performance and made his feelings clear in his post-match comments.

The 22-year-old, who played 63 minutes before being substituted for Andreas Christensen, spoke to Esport 3 (via Mundo Deportivo) after the game and delivered a candid assessment of Barcelona’s display.

“I’m not happy with the way we played, not at all with the performance the team put in,” Pedri admitted. “We have to improve a lot of things, especially our pressing. We didn’t do well. This is already the second game in which I feel we haven’t played well. We have to improve that pressing, above all, and with the ball, give it more rhythm, create more chances.”

Pedri emphasized that the team needs to work closely with head coach Hansi Flick to address these issues before their upcoming fixtures. “I think we have a lot of room for improvement. We’ll analyze it with the coach during the week and work to make it better for the next match,” he added.

The young midfielder also pointed out specific tactical concerns that have made Barcelona vulnerable defensively. “When you press badly and have the defensive line so high, it’s very easy for the opponent to create chances,” he said. “With just one pass into space, if you’re not pressing well, they can end up one-on-one with the goalkeeper. I think we also need to improve with the ball, because we’re not being as sharp as we were last season.”

Still, Pedri stressed that despite the flaws in their recent performances, the squad remains confident. “The good thing is that we can improve — and today, at least, we took the three points. Our confidence in ourselves remains very strong,” he concluded.

The match also began with a symbolic gesture. Girona paused for 20 seconds before kickoff as a protest against La Liga’s decision to schedule the upcoming Villarreal–Barcelona fixture in Miami. Addressing the situation, Pedri clarified, “We weren’t directly involved in that decision. We did it out of respect for our fellow professionals.”

With key matches ahead against Olympiacos in the UEFA Champions League and Real Madrid in La Liga, Pedri’s words serve as a timely reminder that while results matter, performances and consistency will be crucial if Barcelona are to maintain their place at the top.