Pedri, without filters: his bond with Xavi, his best version, and his ambition at Barça

With just over 48 hours before facing the Netherlands national team, Pedri González gave an interview to the program 'Tú Dirás' on RAC1 from Spain's training camp in Las Rozas. The Canary Islander held nothing back and revealed details about his relationship with Xavi Hernández, his first conversation with Ronald Koeman, and the rumors about his nightlife, in addition to discussing his outstanding present at FC Barcelona.

After the comeback at the Metropolitano, the culés dream more than ever of the treble. "Despite being down 2-0, we knew we would have chances. It’s also true that Lewandowski's goal right after their second helped us a lot. We are a team that always believes in its possibilities and creates many chances," commented the midfielder.

"Regardless of what happens, whether we play with one less or are losing by two goals, we always try to give our best. It’s nice to win by coming from behind, but I prefer to do it in a calmer way. The confidence we have in ourselves surpasses everything else," he added.

"Not having two players like Araújo and Raphinha hurts us"

The midfielder was not oblivious to the controversy over the date of the pending match against Osasuna, stating that "I find it a bit strange. I didn’t know they would schedule the match on that date. Madrid already complained about the 72 hours of rest... It’s true that there aren’t many dates, but not having two players like Araújo and Raphinha hurts us."

The treble and his form

Regarding the possibility of winning the three main titles of the season, Pedri assured that "right now we are alive in all competitions. The treble? We are young and we have to think big. We have the ambition to win many titles." However, the player confessed that "it would mean a lot to me to win the Champions League. It’s a title I haven’t won and Barça hasn’t lifted it in a long time."

To achieve this, the Catalans must first defeat Borussia Dortmund. A rival that, according to González, will be "tough, we have faced them before and we know they won’t give us anything. I’m convinced we will have a good tie." Additionally, the '8' signed off on a Champions League final with Madrid, stating, "Why not? We shouldn’t be afraid of anyone."

"I feel like I’m in the best moment of my career"

The player from Tegueste will play a key role in this objective, as he is one of the players in the best form at Barça, and revealed what he has done to leave his physical problems behind and reconnect with his best version. "Playing regularly helps me. I feel the effects of having many days between matches. I feel more tired. I feel like I’m in the best moment of my career," he explained.

"I have worked hard to be at this level. I haven’t changed anything about my diet, but the work I do is different. I no longer lift weights, it’s all about stretching and bands. For me, that works best. In the end, it’s about trying different things and seeing what helps you avoid injuries. I’m no longer afraid to do it; that’s in the past," he added.

This spectacular moment places him among the favorites to win the Ballon d'Or. Regarding this, Pedri stated that "when you hear about the Ballon d'Or, it’s very nice to be valued. I prefer to win titles with the team, and if it comes, then better. It’s already a dream to be among the nominees."

Pedri's 1-on-1 on the Barça locker room

González has 'weighed in' on the debate between Frenkie de Jong and Marc Casadó. The Tenerife native praised the Dutchman, stating that "when he has the ball, he’s incredible; I’m very calm. His dribbling to break lines is a spectacle. We have him and Casadó. They are different profiles. Casadó is more positional and defensive. Frenkie contributes more by breaking lines. Depending on the match, we can choose one or the other."

About Dani Olmo and his compatibility on the field, the Canary Islander revealed that "I remember when during the Eurocup they said we couldn’t play together, that we didn’t have a good relationship... We laughed a lot because we have an excellent relationship. I enjoy playing with him a lot. No one turns between lines like he does. His first touch is amazing and he brings a lot of quality. He also scores goals and provides assists..."

Regarding Ferran Torres' great present and his new role as Barça's 'super sub', the Canary Islander maintained that "it’s complicated to talk about someone as a substitute. He’s a player who, when going into space, is wonderful. Besides, he scores goals, despite what they say about him missing many chances... And he presses. He’s a spectacular player."

The '8' culé has established himself as the ideal complement to the 'LRL'. About the trident, the player stated, "What more can I say? Lamine in one-on-one situations is differential; it seems like it’s easy for him to dribble past the first opponent. They also said he didn’t score goals... Well, he did on Sunday. Lewandowski is one of the best finishers in history, and Rafa... He does it all. It’s a marvel."

Additionally, he praised Raphinha, asserting that "he’s the one who has surprised me the most with his performance. He deserves it for how hard he has worked to get here. As captain, he’s all heart. Always eager to work. When you see someone giving their all like he does, running and pressing, it infects the whole team. And that’s very good."

Pedri's coaches and rumors about his nightlife

The Canary Islander confessed details of his first conversation with Ronald Koeman, his first coach at Barça. "I had just arrived and we met in a hotel. I approached to talk to him, and he had a look of 'Who is this?'. He told me he hadn’t seen much of me and that I had to prove to him that I deserved to stay in the first team. A few days later, he called me to his office to tell me I was staying. The first thing I did was call my family," he revealed.

Additionally, he 'cleared up' the speculation about his supposed bad relationship with Xavi, stating that "I have a good relationship with Xavi. They say I throw darts at him through the press, but that’s not true. We have a good relationship, I have nothing against him. When I say we train differently, it’s not a way to attack or undermine him. In no case."

González also praised Hansi Flick, assuring that "it’s true that now physically we want to, we press for 90 minutes and keep the defensive line well up. This is Flick's hallmark. When he needs to be serious, he is very serious. And when we joke, he’s the first. He’s also very attentive to those who don’t play. He’s a very approachable person."

"If someone thinks I go out very late at night, they can come to my house and they will get bored seeing me there because I’m there"

Finally, he put an end to rumors about his supposed 'active' nightlife. "Things like this always come out, that they want to sell you, that you go out at night... No one from the club has ever told me anything about the possibility of transferring me. If someone thinks I go out very late at night, they can come to my house and they will get bored seeing me there because I’m there," he concluded.