Andres Iniesta declines to compare Barcelona teammate Pedri to himself

Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta has addressed ongoing comparisons between his own career and that of midfielder Pedri. Speaking on his former club, Iniesta emphasized that the young midfielder is an independent talent with his own strengths and developmental path rather than a successor to his style of play. The comments followed the recent arrival of Rodri at Barcelona, a signing that has allowed Pedri to operate in more advanced positions during his recent starts. Iniesta described the Canary Islander as an extraordinary footballer capable of executing plays that others fail to see on the pitch. While Pedri has previously cited Iniesta as his role model, the veteran insisted that the focus should remain on the individual qualities that make the young playmaker unique within the current squad. Iniesta underscored that the most valuable achievement for any player is to define their own professional identity.

• 12:15 PMYahoo Sports — Barcelona legend Iniesta plays down comparisons between him and Pedri: ‘He has his own story’