Pedri reveals Araujo's emotional team talk that fired up Barça before crucial win
The Canarian midfielder, who won the best assist award, praised Raphinha's impact and shared how Araujo's pre-match speech motivated the squad to 'come out biting'.
Barcelona’s midfield maestro was in fine spirits after the team’s victory, revealing the inspirational behind-the-scenes moment that helped drive their performance.
Araujo’s pre-match motivation
Pedri, fresh from collecting the trophy for best assist, let slip a fascinating insight into the Barcelona dressing room. The Canarian midfielder revealed that Ronald Araujo delivered an emotional team talk that had the squad proper fired up.
“He brings so much to us. The speech he gave before we went onto the pitch really moved us and we came out biting,” Pedri explained, giving fans a rare glimpse into the leadership dynamics within the squad.
Raphinha appreciation society
The 21-year-old wasn’t shy about heaping praise on his Brazilian teammate Raphinha, who’s been in stellar form this season:
“He gives us so much, scores many goals. Last season he already had a fantastic year that people didn’t appreciate, but he’s absolute quality.”
It’s a fair point from the young midfielder - Raphinha’s contributions have sometimes flown under the radar despite his consistent output.
Tough battle acknowledged
Pedri admitted the match was a proper battle, particularly after their previous Clásico encounter. He confessed to feeling a bit knackered in the closing stages:
“We knew they’d come with lots of desire. We were also keen after the last Clásico. In the final minutes, it’s true I was a bit stiff.”
The midfielder also highlighted how the game opened up after the first goal, noting: “Once the first one goes in, things start happening. In the second half, we knew it would be complicated and we went all out.”
Personal development
Despite his impressive performances, Pedri remains grounded about his own development, suggesting there’s plenty more to come from him:
“You’ll always be able to see a better Pedri, I’m still young,” he remarked, showing the kind of attitude that’s made him such a valuable asset for the Blaugrana.
With this win in the bag and Pedri continuing to pull the strings in midfield, Barcelona fans will be feeling chuffed about their team’s prospects.