Barcelona were able to receive the acclaim of their fans for the first time in five years on Monday, after securing the La Liga title and enjoying an open-top bus parade. It was the first time it had happened since 2018, having cancelled their title parade after defeat to Liverpool in the Champions League semi-final and Valencia in the Copa del Rey final in 2019, their last title win.
One of the most-loved Barcelona players is undoubtedly Pedri, but during the parade his empathy will have endeared him to Barcelona fans even more. While on the bus, without Ansu Fati seeing, he pointed to his teammate and mouthed his name to the crowd, encouraging them to start chanting for him.
بيدري يطلب من الجماهير الهتاف بإسم فاتي pic.twitter.com/qd9g9USnXZ
— FCB World (@forcabarca_ar) May 15, 2023
Fati has endured a tough two years after missing almost the entirety of last season through injury and failing to get going this campaign. Pedri’s gesture allowed him to feel a little love from the fans, having gone from crowd favourite to forgotten son this season.
In recent weeks, he has been heavily linked with an exit too, some even saying that Xavi will tell Ansu this week that he is no longer needed.