Pedri leads win at Girona in 100th game for Barcelona

The 20-year-old Pedri started on the bench as Xavi rotated his lineup ahead of a busy week, but the playmaker replaced the injured Ousmane Dembélé in the 25th minute.

Barcelona's Pedri, centre, celebrates after scoring the opening goal during the Spanish La Liga soccer match between Girona and FC Barcelona at the Montilivi stadium in Girona, Spain, Saturday, Jan. 28, 2023. (AP Photo/Joan Monfort)

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Pedri marked his 100th Barcelona appearance by scoring to squeeze past Girona 1-0 and increase their lead of the Spanish league on Saturday.

The 20-year-old Pedri started on the bench as Xavi rotated his lineup ahead of a busy week, but the playmaker replaced the injured Ousmane Dembélé in the 25th minute.

Girona stymied the league front-runner until Pedri’s fellow substitute, Jordi Alba, found him with a low cross at close range in the 61st. Pedri, who won the 2021 Golden Boy for the continent’s most promising under-21 player, is considered one of the pillars of Barcelona’s post-Messi rebuild. The Spain midfielder has scored six times this season.

FINAL #GironaBarça 0-1

✨ ¡@Pedri 𝗱𝗲𝗰𝗶𝗱𝗲 el 𝗱𝗲𝗿𝗯𝗶! ✨#LaLigaSantander pic.twitter.com/ToIPu5ymQJ

— LaLiga (@LaLiga) January 28, 2023

Xavi’s team moved six points clear of Real Madrid before the titleholder hosts third-placed Real Sociedad on Sunday at the Liga’s midway point.

Dembélé asked to be substituted after he was apparently bothered by his left thigh following a sprint. Barcelona has yet to give any information on his status. He walked off the field and watched the rest of the game from the dugout.

The France forward, who suffered a series of injuries in his first seasons with Barcelona, has avoided serious injury since returning from a knee issue in November 2021 and became one of its leading players.

That left Barcelona without its top two scorers. Robert Lewandowski, who leads the league with 13 goals, completed a three-game suspension in the league. Forward Ferran Torres was also suspended.

Girona coach Michel was sent off in stoppage time with a direct red card for vehemently protesting what he thought was a foul on one of his players.