SI Soccer
·30 aprile 2025
Barcelona's Pedri Eyes 2025 Ballon d'Or Glory for Outstanding Season

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Yahoo sportsSI Soccer
·30 aprile 2025
While winning Barcelona's third-ever treble remains the top priority for Pedri, the midfielder also has dreams of taking home the Ballon d'Or.
Barcelona could be well on their way to claiming four trophies in Hansi Flick's debut campaign. The Catalans defeated Real Madrid for the Spanish Super Cup back in January and most recently got the better of their bitter rivals in the Copa del Rey final. Now, they have their sights set on winning La Liga and the Champions League.
The Spanish giants will like their chances of topping both competitions thanks to their star-studded squad. Although Raphinha stands as one of the 2025 Ballon d'Or favorites thanks to his 51 (and counting) goal contributions for Barcelona this season, Pedri has joined the conversation for his brilliant performances in the midfield. The Spaniard spoke about the most prestigious award in soccer ahead of the first leg of the Champions League semifinals.
"Since Rodri won it, it’s shown that a player who runs the midfield and dictates the tempo and the rhythm of the game can win a Ballon d'Or," Pedri said. "I was really pleased he won it because aside from the season he had, I really enjoy playing with him when I’m with the national team. He’s a player who controls the game really well, wins the ball back, gets forward, scores goals—he’s everywhere on the pitch."
Rodri controversially took home the 2024 Ballon d'Or over Real Madrid's Vinícius Júnior back in October. The midfielder was awarded the honor for helping Manchester City win their fourth consecutive Premier League title and for his role in Spain's Euro 2024-winning campaign. Pedri played alongside Rodri at Euro 2024, but saw his tournament end early after suffering a knee injury in the quarterfinals against Germany.
Pedri recovered from the injury in time for the 2024–25 season and has shown his quality on a team full of superstars. He might not have the flashy goal or assist tallies of his Barcelona teammates, but his importance goes far beyond statistics. The 22-year-old not only dictates the tempo of the game, but he also uses his vision and clinical passing to kickstart Barcelona's attack.
"It’s always been a dream of mine to lift the Ballon d'Or. But right now, there’s a month to go, and the focus is on the team—on winning the three trophies, which is what really matters and once that month’s over, we’ll see if we can start talking about things like that," Pedri said.
Flick's men are four points clear of Real Madrid in the La Liga standings and are set to clash with Inter Milan in the Champions League semifinals. Should Barcelona go on to claim the Spanish and European crowns, they will secure the third treble in club history.
Achieving such a feat would likely result in a Barcelona player winning the Ballon d'Or. If so, it would be Barcelona's first Men's Ballon d'Or award since Lionel Messi took home the honor in 2019.