Mallorca boss in awe of Barcelona and the magic of Pedri – ‘You enjoy watching him on TV’ | OneFootball

Jagoba Arrasate’s 47th birthday did not end with a celebration, as his Mallorca side fell to a narrow 1-0 defeat against Barcelona at the Estadi Olimpic.

Despite the result, the Mallorca manager was full of praise for the performance of Hansi Flick’s team, particularly singling out Pedri, who was named the man of the match.

Speaking after the final whistle, Arrasate acknowledged the difficulty of facing a team like Barcelona. He stated that although his side did not lack effort, playing Barcelona at home is a tough affair.

“It’s never easy to score here,” he began saying.

“We put in a good effort, created a few chances, and tried to hold on. But in the end, Barça were the better side.

We managed to stay in the game at 1-0 and as long as that’s the scoreline, there’s always a chance to get back.

“But in the second half, as tiredness set in, it felt like our best hope was from a set piece—and that goal never came,” he analysed.

Praise for Pedri

Arrasate was in awe of Pedri. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

Despite the defeat, the Mallorca boss remained gracious and respectful of Barcelona’s quality, pointing to Pedri as the standout figure on the pitch.

His comments reflected not only admiration but also frustration at having to face such a talented player.

“You enjoy watching Pedri on television, but you suffer on the pitch. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a midfielder like that. He’s at a much higher level,” Arrasate remarked.

Barcelona, despite the 1-0 scoreline, were far superior than Mallorca. Keep in mind that Flick made several changes to his starting XI, and yet, the team managed to outclass their opponents in every area.

To begin with, they attempted a total of 40 shots, with 12 of them on target. They enjoyed an impressive 78% possession and made a whopping 744 passes with an accuracy of 90%.

Source: Mundo Deportivo