'Real Madrid told me I wasn't good enough' – Pedri
Robin Bairner
- 24 Mar 2022 10:03 GMT
- 3 min read
Barcelona sensation Pedri has revealed that he was once told that he was not good enough to make the grade at Real Madrid – and it has been his mission to prove them wrong since.
Pedri made the switch to Barcelona from Las Palmas in the summer of 2020 for an initial €5 million and has exploded since then. Initially, the classy midfielder was expected only to feature with the ‘B’ team, but his level was such that he was thrust straight in with the senior side.
He has gone from strength to strength since then, making his international debut in a matter of months as well as featuring at both Euro 2020, where he was voted Young Player of the Tournament, and the Olympic Games.
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Pedri rejected by Real Madrid
Real Madrid certainly did not forecast such a future for the 19-year-old, who they told did not have the quality to cut it at the highest level.
“I went there and for the first few days I couldn’t train because of snow on the pitches. I trained for three days,” he told Cadena Cope.
“They took me down to the ‘B’ team to train and in the end they told me that I didn’t have the level to be there and that they were letting me go to keep looking.
“At first, you don’t want to be rejected anywhere, but then it motivates you to think that if they don’t want you, you’re going to work so that in the future something else might come.
“I don’t remember who turned me down, but if I saw him now, I’d tell him that I’m enjoying myself at Barcelona.”
Pedri particularly enjoyed beating Real Madrid 4-0 with Barca in El Clasico last Sunday.
“Playing at the Bernabeu is spectacular and even more so if you win like that,” he said.
Pedri is now on Spain duty, with fixtures against Albania and Iceland to come.
