Key statistic highlights Barcelona’s reliance on midfield superstar this season | OneFootball

Barcelona suffered one of their most disappointing defeats under Hansi Flick as they fell to a 4-1 loss to Sevilla on Sunday.

It was a night when very few Barcelona players showed up, with players like Pedri even struggling on the night.

Pedri’s struggles, in fact, were indicative of Barcelona’s poor performance on the pitch as the club struggled to keep up with Sevilla’s aggressive line of press.

How Barcelona struggle when Pedri underperforms

As reported by Mundo Deportivo, Pedri’s impact in matches has shown a direct correlation with Barcelona’s results this season.

The data reveal that in games where the midfielder records fewer than 100 touches, the team fails to win.

So far this campaign, Barcelona have played ten matches – eight in La Liga and two in the Champions League.

Pedri was completely cut off by Sevilla midfielders. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)

Pedri has failed to reach 100 touches in three of them: against Rayo Vallecano (83), PSG (61), and Sevilla (66). Coincidentally, all three ended without a Barcelona victory.

In contrast, in the remaining matches where Pedri exceeded the 100-touch mark, Barcelona’s performances and control of the game were far stronger.

His average number of touches in those games stands at 121, which is almost double what he managed against PSG or Sevilla.

Therefore, if Barcelona are to bounce back after the international break, the club must make sure Pedri is involved in each and every game.

This data does, however, showcase the club’s over-reliance on the Spanish international and the sheer lack of support enjoyed by the midfielder. This needs to improve before opponents eventually find a way to simply nullify the Barcelona play by marking Pedri.

Hence, Flick has his work cut out as he looks to guide Barcelona back to winning ways later this month.