Barcelona manager Hansi Flick mentioned it’s «not a positive development» following the loss of Pedri due to a hamstring injury during Wednesday’s 4-2 Champions League victory at Slavia Prague.
Fermín López netted two goals, with contributions from Dani Olmo and Robert Lewandowski on a frigid night in Prague, yet the win was overshadowed by Pedri’s early exit in the second half due to injury.
The Spain midfielder is set to undergo examinations back in Barcelona on Thursday to assess the seriousness of the injury.
«I can’t specify what it is precisely, but it’s the hamstring,» Flick disclosed in the post-match press briefing. «It happens sometimes. I can’t say how long he will be sidelined. This is not good news. We will assess the situation [on Thursday].»
Pedri, who faced multiple injury challenges in the initial stages of his career, has mostly remained fit since Flick took charge of Barça in 2024.
Nonetheless, he was unavailable for five matches earlier this season due to a hamstring issue and missed another in December because of a calf problem.
With Pedri absent for the majority of the second half, Barça clinched a crucial win in their quest to secure a position in the top eight of the Champions League league phase, ensuring a direct pathway to the round of 16.
Fermín, who achieved a hat trick in the victory over Olympiacos, shone with a two-goal performance in the first half following Vasil Kušej’s initial goal for the hosts, raising his tally in this season’s tournament to five goals.
«Fermín is an exceptional player,» Flick stated. «It was crucial for both him and the club that he remained here last summer as he has come up through the ranks at Barcelona; he is passionate about Barça.
«I deeply value what I witnessed today.»
A Lewandowski own goal equalized before halftime, but Olmo, who substituted for the injured Pedri, put Barça back in front in the 63rd minute. Lewandowski then found the net at the correct end, turning in Marcus Rashford‘s cross, securing the three points with 20 minutes remaining.
Barça, set to host Copenhagen in their concluding league phase match next week, ascends to ninth place with the victory and understands that another triumph next week will likely propel them into the top eight and avert the knockout round, which includes teams ranked from ninth to 24th.
«Defeating Copenhagen won’t be straightforward,» Flick cautioned. «We’re uncertain if Ferran [Torres] will return, Pedri may now be unavailable, and Frenkie [de Jong] will be suspended.
«However, we will welcome back Lamine [Yamal], that’s true, and we have a solid opportunity to secure a top-eight spot. Our Champions League start wasn’t ideal, but with one game left, we still have a chance to achieve our goal.»
Yamal was unavailable for the victory against Slavia on Wednesday due to a suspension from an accumulation of yellow cards.
