Xavi has heaped praise on 20-year-old midfielder Pedri, saying he has “no ceiling” as continues to impress for club and country,

Pedri excelling for Spain & BarcaXavi majorly impressed by youngsterForming formidable partnership with Gavi

WHAT HAPPENED? Spain and Barcelona have become increasingly reliant on midfield maestro Pedri who only turned 20 on Saturday. He has made 63 league appearances already for Barcelona, impressing with his passing and dribbling technique.

WHAT HE SAID: “Pedri has no ceiling,” Xavi told GOAL. “He has all the skills that a footballer has to have, in this case a midfielder, he has talent, he has sacrifice, he is strong defensively, he can play three games in a row, he has everything to make a difference.

“He has just turned 20, he is very young but shows an unusual maturity in a World Cup. It’s a pleasure to watch him play, he can make a difference in any match. He gets along with Gavi, he associates with Busquets. We have a centre in Spain that is a delight to watch play.”

THE BIGGER PICTURE: Pedri was a vital component of the Spain side that reached the semi-finals of Euro 2020 last summer, and he looks like being equally as important in any success that they may have at this year’s World Cup. He started in Spain’s 7-0 win over Costa Rica on Wednesday, playing 57 minutes before being withdrawn, a sign of how central he is to Luis Enrique’s plans.

IN THREE PHOTOS:

WHAT NEXT FOR PEDRI? The midfielder is likely to line up for Spain in their crunch match against Germany tonight in the World Cup. A win would all but guarantee their passage into the knockout stages of the tournament, with Enrique’s side being left just needing a point to qualify.