PEDRI has admitted that “it hurts” watching Lionel Messi struggle at Paris Saint-Germain – and hopes that the Argentine will quickly return to form.
The Spaniard was taken under Messi’s wing during his impressive first season in Catalonia.
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But he was forced to part with his Argentine pal when the 34-year-old had to leave Barca last summer due to the club’s financial turmoil.
Pedri, 19, has continued to blossom this season – and still looks to Messi for inspiration.
He told Spanish paper La Vanguardia: “Whenever I can, I watch his matches because you learn a lot by watching the best footballer in the world play
“But it’s true that when things don’t work out for a friend, as I consider him, it hurts a bit.
“I’ve had a great time with Leo on the pitch and off it he’s a magnificent person so I hope he can come back.
“I had fun playing with him and it is a joy to have him as a team-mate.”
Messi has scored just twice in 18 Ligue 1 matches since joining Mauricio Pochettino’s side.
He had fared a little better in the Champions League group stage, but was anonymous as his side were dumped out by Real Madrid earlier this month.
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Messi, alongside fellow ex-Barca star Neymar, was subject to boos and jeers from his own fans in the first match following PSG’s Bernabeu collapse.
Pedri, meanwhile, has played a big part in Barcelona’s red-hot recent run under Xavi.
Since returning from a four-month hamstring injury lay-off, Pedri is yet to taste defeat in LaLiga – with his side winning seven and drawing one of their eight matches since his comeback.
On Xavi’s impact, he added: “He always tells me to get forward, that any rebound or any play can result in a goal with a loose ball and that I can push on and help the team.
“And I have to pay attention to him because he’s absolutely right, a goal in a play like this helps the team a lot.”
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