"I would tell him it’s the best club in the world" - Pedri sends message to player linked with summer move to Barcelona

Barcelona midfielder Pedri wants to tell Espanyol goalkeeper Joan Garcia, a Barca target, that the reigning Spanish champions are the best side in club football at the moment.

The 24-year-old custodian is coming off a decent season in club football, catching the attention of the Blaugrana. Playing all 38 La Liga games, Garcia kept eight clean sheets as Espanyol finished 14th. Despite being contracted to the side till 2028, Garcia could be on the move this summer as Hansi Flick's side seek to reinforce the goalkeeping position.

Ahead of defending champions Spain's UEFA Nations League semi-final clash with 2021 winners France on Wednesday (June 5)), Pedri said (as per FCB World via Sempre Barca) about his prospective new clubmate:

“Joan (Garcia) is a great goalkeeper. He has a lot of qualities. But he’s not our player yet, so I can’t say much. If he had the opportunity to join Barcelona, I would tell him it’s the best club in the world.”

Pedri is coming off a superb season with the Blaugrana, playing all but one game, contributing six goals and eight assists in 59 outings across competitions as Flick's side won the domestic treble.

Barcelona midfielder Pedri and Spain boss Luis de La Fuente preview France clash

Coming off a successful season in club football, Pedri is two wins away from adding another title to his burgeoning trophy cabinet for club and country, as reigning European champions Spain take on France in a heavyweight clash.

Having provided an assist in the two-legged quarter-final win over the Netherlands in March, the Barcelona midfielder expects a tough outing against Les Blues in Stuttgart, telling UEFA.com:

"You don't play a final-four match like this everyday. We're super motivated to play in a competition like this. We want to play in the final. We want to look at winning a trophy, not the consequences of not qualifying for a final."

La Roja boss Luis de la Fuente added:

"We're in the final four. We're playing against a European champion. There are no favourites. Four games, four finals. Germany vs Portugal could be the final of a EURO, or the World Cup. It's very difficult for me to say we're favourites when we're surrounded by such good sides. Anybody can win this."

The winner of the Spain-France game face 2019 winners Portugal - who beat hosts Germany 2-1 in the first semi-final on Wednesday - in Munich on Sunday (June 8).

About the author

Bhargav is a veteran sports journalist and editor at Sportskeeda, with a rich professional experience of 17 years, working for the likes of Siemens and Bombay Dyeing. An avid football and tennis follower for over three decades, Bhargav uses his vast knowledge and experience, attention to detail, an unbiased yet interesting writing style, and thorough research to craft insightful articles, which have raked in over 20 million reads so far.

Bhargav supports Italy at national level, a team steeped in tradition and history according to him. He still harbors the heartbreak from the Azzurri’s 1994 FIFA World Cup final defeat against Brazil, and protagonist-turned-antagonist from the game, ‘Divine Ponytail’ Roberto Baggio is his all-time favorite player. His favorite manager is Marcelo Lippi, who ended Italy’s 24-year wait for the World Cup trophy, winning it in 2006.

Outside Europe’s top five leagues, he follows the MLS following Lionel Messi’s move in 2023 but favors Cristiano Ronaldo in the G.O.A.T. debate. During his free time, Bhargav enjoys driving off to new places and singing.

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