Pedrola, back to big time football: "I feel like I'm at Barcelona"

The red and blue colors are the closest thing to the blaugrana pairing: that is, blue and garnet, in the translation from Catalan to Italian. Estanis Pedrola is Spanish, but at home, he assures, "we speak Catalan".

Estanis Pedrola was born in Cambrils, south of Barcelona, ​​and took his first steps in football between Reus and Espanyol, before moving to Barca 4 years ago. There, he had his imprinting as a footballer: "If you're born there, you can't help but admire Messi. But among the footballers I've seen, the one who inspired me the most was Neymar: because he always had a free mind, always relaxed".

That's how he wants to be. Or rather: he wants to go back to being after a complicated year at Sampdoria. Three goals in the first six games. Then a accident. "Bad, then the relapses: finally the operation on the flexor tendon, but now my muscles are fine and I can't wait to repay the trust, because the Bologna "It gave me a great opportunity."

Estanis Pedrola is a gamble. Of a certain level, though. Because about 3 years ago (it was January 2, 2022) the boy made his debut in the first team at Barcelona, ​​in the victory against Malaga signed by De Jong. He was also in the circle of the Spanish Under 19 national team, never called up, but always talked about. So much so that recently, with his transfer to Bologna, the Spanish newspaper As did not let the operation slip: "The talent He moved to Serie A with Bologna without having been able to make an impact with Sampdoria only because of injuries".

In short, he is little known, but his talent precedes him and has credit. A credit that Pedrola wants to give back. He needed to start again: "I had to leave behind the injuries and the last months at Sampdoria: too many changes of coach (Pirlo, Sottil, Semplici, ed.), I didn't have time to understand one that another one arrived". So it's better to change air and start again.

From the Blaugrana, or rather from the Rossoblu: "The Bologna he called me in the last few days, I spoke with Italiano and here I am. I feel like I'm back at Barcelona: training always with the ball, starting with the warm-up rondo. Possession, playing on the outside, technique: in today's training I must have gone one-on-one 10-15 times, just like at Barca. And then Italiano took me aside for 20 minutes, to explain things to me, tell me what he wants from me. I feel confident". Pedrola smells opportunity. Bologna he believes in it, Di Vaio says: "We followed him the first year, then with the injury nothing came of it. But he is young, he is 21 years old, he has recovered, he has the technical qualities of one on one on the outside, he has talent, we like it and the manager likes it".

And so here is the bet, on loan with the right to redeem at 4,5 million, with the exit of Iling-Junior: because between a loan and a potentially owned player, the Bologna prefers the second way. And Pedrola prefers it: "Miranda, Dominguez, Castro and Lucumi have already made me feel at home, with them I can speak Spanish. We are aiming for Europe and me? To find myself, to relaunch myself, to become myself again". Estanis Pedrola a talent to be rediscovered: "To aim for Europe".