Barcelona’s Pedri given Saturday running target after international break

Pedri has not joined Barcelona’s full first-team training because the club is following a planned return programme, rather than managing an injury.

The 23-year-old midfielder returned to the club’s training base on Wednesday alongside Barcelona’s other Spain internationals. However, while manager Hansi Flick now has all of his first-team players available, Pedri has continued to work separately from the group since reporting back.

The situation had prompted questions about the Spain international’s absence from collective sessions, particularly because he had been expected to resume normal preparations with the rest of the squad.

According to Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo, there is no injury concern surrounding the player. Instead, Barcelona’s fitness staff have designed a specific schedule to regulate his physical workload after the international break.

The recommendation was for Pedri to begin the first days of his preparation inside the gym, working individually rather than alongside his team-mates. The approach is intended to control the demands placed on him as he builds back towards full training.

Pedri had already offered an indication that he was following his own programme before returning to Barcelona. The midfielder, who is from Tegueste in the Canary Islands, posted photographs of himself training alone.

He is expected to move on to the next stage of the plan on Saturday, when he should resume running outdoors. The club remains completely reassured by his condition and has no concerns about his temporary absence from group training.

Barcelona’s decision reflects a controlled approach to Pedri’s return following the international break. His initial work has been carried out away from the rest of Flick’s squad, with the focus on managing his physical load before he takes part in football-specific sessions.

The midfielder’s return to outdoor running will therefore represent the next planned step, rather than a response to any reported setback. Barcelona are continuing to monitor his progress as he works through the programme agreed by the club’s fitness staff.

Pedri’s absence from the collective sessions has consequently been treated internally as a precautionary part of his preparation. With no injury involved, the club expects him to continue progressing through the stages of his individual schedule.