'I made lots of runs nobody saw, but Pedri sees them' — Anthony Gordon explains his Barcelona connection

· SportsMole

Anthony Gordon says Pedri sees his runs like no team-mate before him — the Barcelona winger opens up on his Nou Camp adjustment, Pedri's vision and why he picked Suarez over Messi.

Anthony Gordon has identified the Pedri connection as the aspect of his Barcelona move that has had the biggest impact on his game, revealing in an interview with the club's official magazine that the Spanish midfielder's ability to spot his runs has unlocked a dimension of his football that was rarely rewarded before his move to Spain.

> 'I made lots of runs in my career nobody saw,' the England forward said. 'But now Pedri sees them.'

Barcelona news: what Gordon means by the Pedri connection

Gordon's game is not built around receiving the ball to feet and constructing play in one-on-one situations. His primary weapon is the acceleration that follows an initial movement — dropping to a wide position, identifying the space behind the full-back or centre-back, and sprinting to collect the ball in an advantageous position. The timing of the pass in those moments is critical: too early and the ball arrives before the defender has committed; too late and the advantage is lost.

What Gordon is describing is Pedri's capacity to read that precise window and deliver the ball at the correct moment. For a forward accustomed to making runs that went unrewarded, the difference is significant.

Barcelona news: Gordon on adapting to a new style

The winger also drew a distinction between the English and Spanish approach to the game without being critical of either.

> 'What Barca represents for me is making the opposition touch the ball as little as possible,' he said. 'Now we also have aggression. I adapted well because it is a style very similar to what we played at Newcastle. The main difference compared to the Premier League is the pace — here everything is a little more measured and based on control and possession.'

Gordon, who arrived for an initial fee of around £59.5m, described the Nou Camp reception as exceeding his expectations. Dani Olmo and Eric Garcia, both English speakers, helped him settle quickly, while the warmth of the supporters surprised him positively — comparing it favourably to the more gradual acceptance he experienced when he first arrived at Newcastle United.

The winger also addressed the subject of pressure directly, describing it as a product of the mind rather than the environment. 'When you were a kid, you did not feel pressure, so you should not feel it now,' he said. And in a detail that will raise eyebrows, he named Luis Suarez as his favourite player in Barcelona's history ahead of Lionel Messi.

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