by Barcelona must win against Valencia if they are to keep their La Liga title hopes alive, but they were dealt a major blow just hours before kick-off with the news that they are set to be without one of their most important players. important.
Pedri suffers from diarrhea and vomiting. He cannot play against Valencia tonight. @mundodeportivo
– barcacentre (@barcacentre) January 26, 2025
In recent months, Pedri has been one of Barcelona’s standout players, and there are many signs that he is returning to the form he showed before his injury problems, which began in 2021. He even sought to overcome them, and in fact he has featured in every competitive match played by Hansi Flick’s team this season – until now.
As MD reports, it is almost certain that Pedri will not be available for selection when Barcelona face Valencia at the Estadi Olimpic on Sunday evening. The 22-year-old midfielder has suffered from vomiting and diarrhea over the past 24 hours, and unless there is a drastic change in his health before kick-off, he will not be considered by Flick .
Pedri was expected to start against Valencia, despite hints from Hansi Flick in his pre-match press conference that the Spaniard could be someone rested. While this means he can get a well-deserved rest after a brutal run of matches to start 2025, it’s terrible news for Barcelona’s chances of winning against Los Che.
However, this presents an opportunity for someone like Frenkie de Jong to earn a rare start. He is now almost certain to be selected by Flick, and he could line up alongside Marc Casado, omnipresent in the center of midfield this season. Likewise, this could mean Gavi is used in a deeper role to accommodate the inclusion of Fermin Lopez or Pablo Torre, with Dani Olmo also unavailable against Valencia due to injury.
