Barcelona start process of tying down Estanis Pedrola

Estanis Pedrola netted a brace that was well worth three points and maintained the team's play off position. The young winger hit two goals in the visit to the Nova Creu Alta against CE Sabadell in a 2-1 win for the Blaugrana B team. Rafa Márquez's side have now won three consecutive victories and have not lost for the last seven games, thanks in part to the excellent performance of the forward from Cambrils.

With the back issue that kept him in the dry dock for three months -between September and December- completely forgotten, the left winger has recovered his best self on the pitch. He was the first goal scorer of the season in the opening game against Castellón, a 3-2 win on the stroke of half-time, and after recovering from the injury, he has found the net again.

The twelve bells rang at midnight and 2023 has suited Estanis perfectly. He scored the only goal in the away win against Calahorra on matchday 20. He also scored in the defeat against Cornellà and his first brace came against Alcoyano at the Johan Cruyff (3-0). In total, seven goals this season, six of them in the last nine games.

The club knows it has a diamond in the rough in its youth academy, having signed him last season from Reus Deportiu to strengthen the youth team. His contract expires in 2024, but Barça have already started to make moves and intend to keep him at the club, as they have already done with other players, such as Ángel Alarcón. His future, in part, depends on the category in which Barça Atlètic play next season.

A promotion to the second tier of Spanish football would help to retain a player who has a market. Barça, in any case, are considering offering him the chance to take part in the first team's pre-season set up, planned to take place on the west coast of the United States.

His performance is not going unnoticed by Xavi Hernandez and his technical staff who, at 19 years of age, have already called him up on several occasions to train with the first team. The last of them, this morning, along with his dressing room mate Marc Casadó; as well as youth players Aleix Garrido and goalkeeper Yako, to prepare for the league match against Elche, with the international players absent this week.

"I'm focused on the reserve team. If something has to come, it will. I'm very grateful for the training sessions and opportunities they're offering me. Whenever I go up, they try to correct all kinds of details; I'm very grateful to the club", explained Estanis to the media, when asked about the opportunities he has received in the first team.

It is worth remembering that Pedrola has already made his debut under the orders of Xavi Hernandez in an official match, against Mallorca away, in the midst of the wave of Covid-19 positives in the Barça squad. Xavi called up ten players who were not in the first team. The player from Cambrils replaced Ilias Akhomach in the final stretch of a game as a sub.