Xavi explains decision to play Pedri on the wing v Athletic Bilbao

Xavi surprised many with his starting lineup against Athletic Bilbao, as he placed Pedri on the left wing while Gavi and Frenkie de Jong started in midfield alongside Sergio Busquets.

Here's how the Barcelona coach explained his decision after the game.

"We knew they were going to put a lot of pressure on us. That's why we played with another midfielder. The team understood my plan.

"Pedri is one of our versatile players, we have many players who can adapt to many positions such as Gavi, Sergi Roberto and Marcos Alonso."

Pedri, although he formally played on the wing, often moved closer to the centre to help out the midfield, This allowed Barca to keep and move the ball better.

At the same time, this freed up the space for Alejandro Balde who was able to take advantage of it thanks to his speed.