Lionel Messi is enjoying himself again on the football field. Messi has found his new partner at Barcelona. Someone who sees the game like he does. He’s Messi’s new Iniesta some say. His name is Pedri. Watch his genius back heel pass by Pedri. He reads that Messi is coming past him and the only way he can really get the soccer ball him without Messi having to break stride is with a swooping heel pass.
I’m sure Messi misses playing with a long list of players at Barcelona, from Suarez to Ronaldinho to Iniesta and Xavi. But perhaps Pedri and other young players Barcelona is developing will keep Messi at Barcelona until he retires and keep him happy and having fun playing the game he loves.
Oh, and for Pedri, what a joy it must be to play with the greatest soccer player to ever play the game. He must think he’s dreaming sometimes.
From Sid Lowe at the Guardian: At each end are Ronaldinho and now Pedri, who culminated a 20-pass move with a gorgeous back heel into Messi’s path. At a time when the classic Messi goal, bent into the far corner coming in off the right, isn’t going in, these ones are: from the inside left channel, Messi put the ball diagonally across Jordi Masip and into the other side. As it hit the net, he turned and pointed at Pedri. Then he flung his arms around him and hugged the air out of him.
