5 reasons why Pedro was wrong to leave Barcelona

Pedro left Barcelona because he was tired of waiting for either Lionel Messi, Neymar or Luis Suarez to pick a long-term injury so he could be included in Luis Enrique’s starting XI. After only a couple of months at Chelsea, where he is currently struggling and fully immersed in the relegation battle, an injury to Messi meant that the time he had been craving for was finally available — although he was not at the Camp Nou to enjoy it.

Here are five reasons why Pedro was wrong to leave Barcelona:

1. Pedro would have started many games at Barcelona

Members of the media have been pointing to the recent injuries to Messi, Iniesta and Rafinha as a result of a thin squad and overworked players. If Pedro had stayed, who knows if these players would have still been injured and if Luis Enrique would have allowed the winger to start matches for squad rotation? Under the pretense that the injured players had gone down regardless of Pedro, FC Barcelona has played six games so far this season without one of Messi, Suarez or Neymar up top. Even if Rafinha had started the one game before his injury, Pedro would still most assuredly be penciled in as the starter in front of Munir or Sandro.

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2. Jose Mourinho gets tired of his players quickly

The greatest danger of all for Pedro in leaving Barcelona is how quickly he may find himself replaced at Chelsea. Of course six appearances, with which he scored his lone Chelsea goal on his debut, is not enough time to evaluate a player’s stock on a new team.

However, it wasn’t too long ago that Colombian Juan Cuadrado sparkled at the 2014 World Cup and was bought by Chelsea in February of 2015. From February to May the winger failed to find the back of net in his 13 appearances, and the 27-year-old now finds himself out on loan at Juventus.

With Pedro’s price tag and the possibility that Chelsea finish the season without a trophy, how long of a leash does the 28-year-old Pedro have before Chelsea look to find the next high profile forward that they believe will get them the results they desire?

3. Possible lack of trophies

For years, players that have found it difficult to get on the field at the Camp Nou have always explained their reasoning for staying as enjoying their teammates and winning trophies. Pedro was no different until he joined the list of other players that came to the realization that if they are ever to start week in and week out, they will need to do it on another team.

Pedro left purely for starter’s minutes, as his 20 trophies at Barcelona had helped the player achieve everything that he had hoped to as a member of a winning squad. A player of his caliber was sure to have questions about how good a team could be with him in a greater role, and that’s what he hoped to achieve at Chelsea. However, with Chelsea’s rough start to their Premier League campaign, will Pedro still be happy if he is sitting on a bench in London and Chelsea fail to win hardware as opposed to a bench in Barcelona under the same circumstances?

4. Potentially losing his international spot

The sad reality of international teams is that the decision of squad selections by any coach can sometimes seem erratic and unusual. To his credit, Vicente del Bosque generally goes with his established players, which includes Pedro. Yet, when it comes to the clubs that expect to contend for European Championships and FIFA World Cups, falling out of form and not having success at club level can be detrimental to a player’s chances of future call-ups.

While Pedro is the known commodity, Nolito has found a way to squeeze himself into the squad recently and with the depth of talent at Spain’s disposal, falling out of favor at Chelsea and failing to score at Stamford Bridge could have the reverse effect that Pedro had originally intended with his move; a move that he hoped would keep him in the national team picture.

5. Pedro isn’t Fabregas

Unlike his Chelsea and Spain national team compatriot Cesc Fabregas, Pedro’s move to England was his first time playing out of Spain, not a return. Fabregas’ time at Arsenal helped him to develop and get comfortable with the Premiere League, time that Pedro will not be allowed at this stage in his career and with the stakes being so high at Chelsea.

A Spaniard’s transition to the Premiere League is not an unknown, as Pedro could ask any of his international colleagues such as David Silva and Juan Mata, as well as teammates Diego Costa and Cesc Fabregas, exactly how to navigate play in England, but each player’s experience is different.

By Dan Hilton, columnist at Barcablog. Follow him on Twitter @HiltonD13

DISCUSSION TIME!
Should Pedro have stayed at Barcelona?