Pedri: "Let them make me a European champion!"

More than a month ago, while Spain was warming up for the European Championships, Luis de la Fuente gave a headline that spread like wildfire: "Pedri is back", said the coach, happy was the head of the coaching staff because the Canary Islander was back in the national team and playing at a remarkable level. He showed this in all the matches played during this tournament, which was cut short for him in the early stages of the quarter-final against Germany. A heavy tackle by Toni Kroos left him with an injured knee and ruled him out of the rest of the tournament, but Pedri has remained in the training camp to support his team mates. His presence is just as important because from the outside he has been the one who has supported his team-mates the most.

"It's true that these are things in football, sometimes these injuries happen, these mishaps," he says as he recalls the moment. "It's a quick play, when I fall to the ground I already feel that it's something serious, that something in my knee feels different. It's a blow, but these things happen".

Those things that may happen are still difficult to digest, especially after a season with more adversity than one would hope for. "I'd had a complicated season injury-wise, I'd had a lot of time out, I haven't had the continuity I'd like, and that's what a footballer likes most, to have that continuity. When these mishaps happen, you rethink a lot of things," confesses the international, who has not been with Spain since the World Cup in Qatar.

Looking back on that moment in the match, it is commendable how Pedri says that his only concern was that Spain would reach the semi-finals. What's more, he was fully focused on this despite the pain he was suffering in his left knee. "After it happened I wanted to stay out on the bench with the squad, but they told me to come in and see how the injury was doing and to have some tests with the doctor. What I was only thinking about was going out there to cheer on my team-mates, I was sure that Dani (Olmo) was going to do a great job, that the team was going to give everything and that we were going to get through to the next round for sure".

From then on, it's time to change your mindset and think immediately about the recovery phase, although it's not an easy start. "The first days are always the worst. When you almost can't even walk, you're in a lot of pain... You rethink a lot of things, why it always happens to you, what you can improve... In this case it was a blow and there is little you can improve, but you always try to look on the positive side, it will help you to try to improve and overcome the small hurdles that are in your way, they will make you stronger".

It's also much easier with the support of a dressing room that goes out of its way to help others, Pedri is no exception. "Everyone is concerned, they ask me how my recovery is going. It's very nice, we're a family here and that's what has brought us to the final. And we deserve to win the final because we are a family".

The Canary Islander says that, at such a tough time, he doesn't like to be asked about the injury too much, but when the interest is real and contains an implicit message of encouragement, that has helped him to deal with the injury. "At first you don't really like being asked questions all day long, but when you think about it, there are people who care about you, about how you are... There are many messages from Spain, from your family, who are always there for you... They are messages that give you strength to recover and give the best of yourself".

The teammates have treated him with constant affection and, with the coaching staff and the rest of the staff, they gave him a surprise in one of the talks by projecting a very emotional video about what happened on the pitch in Stuttgart, where he was injured. "I was quite embarrassed at that moment. It was a bit unexpected, especially because, at first, I thought I didn't have to be at the talk to start my recovery. Then they called me, I was late, everyone was waiting in there... It was a bit embarrassing, I don't like to see myself on video, but it was nice that we are all so united".

His European Championships, at least the epilogue, is totally different from what he wished for. "It's different because you're not in training, but you try to help them, encourage them as much as you can, give them advice... You suffer a lot, the last game I was with Carvajal and Robin (Le Normand) and you feel helpless because you can't do anything to help your teammates.

They, his teammates, his friends, have a very clear request from Pedri: "I'm sure they will give their all. Make me a European champion!