After FC Barcelona’s draw against Atlético de Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-finals, despite initially leading by two goals, frustration was evident among the local players. Pedri notably voiced his opinion, directing a message towards his coach.
“We shouldn’t push the defensive line so high in the final minutes”
Speaking to the media after the match, Pedri commented on the frustrating draw: “It’s not the worst result, clearly, but when you’re up 4-2 and end up drawing, it’s tough. It already happened to us in La Liga, where we threw it away in the last minutes, and it’s happening again. We need to learn from these situations, especially to control possession and not push the defensive line so high in the final minutes. These are things we must learn, and there’s still the second leg, and I’m sure we will go all out.”
Some Catalan press outlets have interpreted Pedri’s words as criticism of coach Hansi Flick, known for his commitment to a high defensive line, regardless of the game situation. Pedri seems to attribute the draw, and potentially a previous league defeat against Atlético, to this risky tactical approach.
The match between Barcelona and Atlético de Madrid was a thrilling start to the Copa del Rey semi-finals, ending in a 4-4 draw. Atlético initially took a 0-2 lead with goals from Julián Álvarez and Griezmann. Barcelona responded strongly, turning the game around before halftime with goals from Pedri, Cubarsí, and Iñigo Martínez. Lewandowski extended Barcelona’s lead in the second half, but Atlético fought back with goals from Marcos Llorente and Sorloth to secure the draw. The second leg will be played on April 2nd at the Cívitas Metropolitano.