'A star is born' - Pedri dazzles for Barca in Turin

Given a second start in a row despite looking fazed in Saturday’s 3-1 defeat by Real Madrid, Pedri played with ambition and bravery against the Italian champions, driving Barca’s play with slick passing and confident dribbling.

“Knowing the age he is, what he did tonight was outstanding,” said Barca coach Ronald Koeman.

“The fact he was able to show such skill and character at that age makes me very happy. He is going to be a great player for this Barcelona.”

The youngster, who was making his first Champions League start after scoring from the bench against Ferencvaros last week, left the pitch with a 95% pass rate, making more than 75% of his passes in the opponents’ half.

He also chipped in with defensive work, regaining possession six times.

But what was most impressive was his willingness to take on world class players and his calm manner on the ball when under pressure.

“A star is born”, said Spanish newspaper Marca, adding: “In Turin everyone was wondering who was this flimsy-looking and gangly youngster who turned into a giant in the Allianz Stadium.”