Pedri recalls his first interaction with Lionel Messi at Barcelona: ‘I ran out of words…’

Pedri recalls his first interaction with Lionel Messi at Barcelona: ‘I ran out of words…’ Fresh from a surprise exclusion from the Ballon d’Or’s list of nominees , Pedri will be looking to prove a point when Barcelona take on Feyenoord in the Champions League tonight. In the lead-up to the clash, Pedri sat down with The Players’ Tribune (h/t SPORT ) to talk about some of the key aspects of his career, including his first moment with Lionel Messi and how Real Madrid had rejected him earlier in his career. Pedri on meeting Messi for the first time Pedri recalled his first training session at the Ciutat Esportiva. After identifying himself at the security booth, he opened the door to the players’ area and came face to face with the man he had idolised. “Literally, the first person I saw was Leo. He was standing in front of me. I ran out of words,” Pedri said. “I tried to introduce myself. I don’t know what I said. He just smiled and told me to relax and get into the locker room.” Pedri has not been nominated for the Ballon d’Or. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) In his first few days, Pedri and Francisco Trincao were so intimidated by the presence of Busquets, Pique, Jordi Alba and, above all, Messi, that they avoided the dressing room altogether, faking eternal stretches in the gym. It was Messi who eventually broke the ice once again. “Hey, what are you guys doing here? Come in and relax with us,” the Argentine told them. Messi then accompanied the pair, showing them where to sit and welcoming them into the group, a gesture Pedri remembers fondly. “We were like two puppies. I will always be grateful for that,” he said. A Real Madrid rejection and a childhood dream One of Barcelona’s captains. (Photo by Francisco Macia/Getty Images) Long before that day, Pedri grew up surrounded by Barcelona, kicking a ball against the basement wall of his family’s restaurant in Tenerife while watching matches in the VIP room. His father, who gave up his own career as a goalkeeper to support the restaurant, always joked about one day becoming his personal assistant. Pedri kept the promise alive when he signed for Barcelona. “Dad, you’re going to have to make sure I don’t forget the Barça stockings,” Pedri recalled telling him. Before arriving at Camp Nou, though, he endured a difficult week at Real Madrid’s academy. Alone in a hotel, without routine or company, he was ultimately sent back home, an experience he now views as character-building. “Your grandfather would never have allowed you to play in Madrid,” Pedri recalled those from his hometown telling him after the episode.