- Title: SOCCER-SPAIN/BARCELONA Barca prepare another final amid Pedro saga
- Date: 13th August 2015
- Summary: BARCELONA, SPAIN (AUGUST 13, 2015) (REUTERS) BARCELONA FORWARDS LUIS SUAREZ AND LIONEL MESSI TALKING AS THEY ARRIVE AT TRAINING SESSION IN RAIN PLAYERS WAITING FOR TRAINING TO START IN RAIN SUAREZ, MESSI AND DEFENDER GERARD PIQUE WARMING UP COACH LUIS ENRIQUE LOOKING ON PLAYERS, INCLUDING MESSI AND MIDFIELDER SERGIO BUSQUETS TRAINING SUAREZ TRAINING CROATIAN MIDFIELDER IVAN RAKITIC TRAINING ALONGSIDE MESSI SUAREZ TRAINING BUSQUETS, ARGENTINA DEFENDER JAVIER MASCHERANO AND BARCELONA CAPTAIN ANDRES INIESTA TALKING LUIS ENRIQUE ARRIVING AND SITTING DOWN AT NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM VARIOUS OF LUIS ENRIQUE AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA COACH, LUIS ENRIQUE, TALKING ABOUT POSSIBLE TRANSFER OF FORWARD PEDRO, SAYING: "We all know the special situation Pedro is living. It is an odd situation. There is no news since the beginning of the preseason. We all know what he has said and what our opinion is; our willingness to have him here, but it is a difficult decision and it has not changed. It will change by the end of the transfer window with his decision." FORWARD PEDRO TRAINING (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA COACH, LUIS ENRIQUE, TALKING ABOUT ATHLETIC BILBAO, SAYING: "I'm sure they can surprise and have chances. They are a team that pressures very well. They use the support of the fans to make the match uncomfortable for the rival. For sure it is going to be an uncomfortable match. The tie will be solved in two legs." NEWS CONFERENCE IN PROGRESS LUIS ENRIQUE LEAVING NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM BUSQUETS ENTERING AND SITTING DOWN AT NEWS CONFERENCE ROOM VARIOUS OF BUSQUETS AT NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Spanish) BARCELONA MIDFIELDER, SERGIO BUSQUETS, TALKING ABOUT POSSIBLE TRANSFER OF FORWARD PEDRO, SAYING: "Pedro is eager to stay here as he has said. He wants to play minutes, same as every other player, but that is it. No matter if Pedro stays or leaves he will remain calm and is willing to add to the team." PEDRO TRAINING
- Embargoed: 28th August 2015 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Spain
- Country: Spain
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA1SPBHPKGG7MX9C45OG5JXA23U
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Barcelona can extend their trophy haul this calendar year to five when they face Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup on Friday (August 14) but much of the attention at Thursday's training session was again on the future of unsettled forward Pedro.
Despite Brazilian forward Neymar's illness, Pedro was surprisingly left out of the starting line-up to face Sevilla in Tuesday's (August 11) UEFA Super Cup, with Rafinha preferred alongside Lionel Messi and Luis Suarez in Barcelona's formidable front-line.
However, the diminutive Spaniard came on off the bench and scored an extra-time winner to settle the nine-goal thriller.
Despite celebrating the goal, Pedro seemed distant in the post-match celebrations, further suggesting he could be set to leave the club in search of more playing-time. English Premier League heavyweights Manchester United are the favourites to claim his signature.
Regardless of a possible transfer away from his boyhood club, Pedro trained on Thursday (August 13) and, despite refusing to to disclose whether Pedro will start in the first leg on Friday, Barcelona coach Luis Enrique reiterated that he wanted Pedro to stay, but that any move away was his decision.
"We all know the special situation Pedro is living," Luis Enrique told supporters. "It is an odd situation. There is no news since the beginning of the preseason. We all know what he has said and what our opinion is; our willingness to have him here, but it is a difficult decision and it has not changed. It will change by the end of the transfer window with his decision.
Midfielder Sergio Busquets also said he wanted Pedro to stay, but understood the forward's desire to start more games, having played most of last season as second-fiddle to Neymar, Suarez and Messi.
"Pedro is eager to stay here as he has said. He wants to play minutes, same as every other player, but that is it. No matter if Pedro stays or leaves he will remain calm and is willing to add to the team," he said.
After squandering a three-goal lead in Tblisi on Tuesday, Luis Enrique's men know they face no let as they prepare to face a physical Bilbao team over two legs this weekend.
It is a repeat of the King's Cup final, which Barca won comfortably, but they will now need to improve defensively if they are to add to their four pieces of silverware already won in 2015.
Enrique said he expected a few surprises from the Basque team, and that the Bilbao home support would make the match difficult.
"I'm sure they can surprise and have chances. They are a team that pressures very well. They use the support of the fans to make the match uncomfortable for the rival. For sure it is going to be an uncomfortable match. The tie will be solved in two legs," he said.
As well as Neymar, who is out with mumps, Barca will also be without Jordi Alba while Bilbao are not at full strength with Iker Muniain, Mikel Rico and Inaki Williams among those set to be absent.
The Super Cup return leg is at the Camp Nou next Monday ahead of the start of the La Liga season the following weekend. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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