On the lawn of El Sadar, finally with the noise of the fans in the stands, a torpedo was propelled by Espanyol's left attack. Adrià Pedrosa completed an extraordinary match, perhaps the Blue and Whites' most outstanding player. The one from Gavà was the winner in numerous defensive duels, attentive at all times, and incisive in attack, taking advantage of his speed and ease to identify the spaces while driving. The winger, solid last year, begins to reach maturity.
The footballer faces a key year first with the uncertainty about his future almost resolved. Although he has entered the pools of a possible sale of the club all summer to release the salary limit (expressed even by Francisco Rufete), the new fund that has given him financial muscle The clubs have immediately turned the tables. Its sale is no longer a priority, so the sports management will be inflexible. The player, yes, ends his contract in 2023 and unlike Javi Puado or Nico Melamed, who renewed, no one from the sports management has yet discussed his future.
Leaving aside the dispatches, Pedrosa faces his year of revalidation after a career full of brilliant moments and others less, typical of any player in the process of training. After his explosive debut in the 2018-19 campaign, he went through a gray year like the rest of the team the following year (the European and the descent); and he was redeemed in Second, setting a remarkable campaign. Pedrosa knows that this year is the year of his consolidation. For this, he has the confidence of Vicente Moreno.
At 23 years old, the left-back has added 90 official matches between First, Second, Europa Legaue, Copa del Rey and the U21 National Team in three years, so he already accumulates an experience that has especially helped him to be more solid defensively, as perceived in Pamplona.
Adrià Pedrosa.
OSKAR MONTERO
Numbers that guarantee you in El Sadar
Pedrosa recovered seven balls, won two of the three one on one and defended the area without fissures. Defensive aspects that he has been incorporating with the passage of the games, where he has gained cunning and knowing how to make the right decisions. The footballer has also been helped by the collective functioning of Espanyol, a more supportive team than in 2019-20, with a corrector Leandro Cabrera on that left side.
But it was with the ball that the player again showed his virtues. Espanyol is still an asymmetrical set, which stretches more on the left side. Pedrosa generated a scoring chance in which Adrián Embarba shot centered and was incisive on his side. Obviously he also lost more balls than Óscar Gil, who was sometimes forced to make the last pass. A multipurpose player who wants to gain prominence unless the market turns 180 degrees. For now, Pedrosa puts the turbo.