When Barcelona take on Elche tomorrow at the Estadio Martinez Valero, the midfield should be more than well-acquainted.
Barcelona sensation Pedri and Elche midfielder Omar Mascarell have known each other since childhood, growing up in the same town. Counting just 11,000 inhabitants, both call Tegueste in Tenerife home.
Ten years separate the pair but given the close nature of the town, Mascarell was aware of Pedri as a child.
“I’ve known him and his family since I was young,” Mascarell told Diario AS.
“My parents are good friends with his. You could always see something different him but nobody thought he would do what he has at his age. He will be a player that makes the difference for may years and one of the best.”
“What Pedri did last year was nuts. When I think about in the cold light of day… The maturity he has on the pitch at his age I have never seen before. Genuinely, it was crazy what he did last year at Barca and in the national team. He put Barcelona on his back at the age of 18.”
Mascarell has played in four different countries over his career, turning out for Derby County, Sporting Gijon, Eintracht Frankfurt and Schalke after leaving Real Madrid Castilla.
After captaining Schalke for a period, he’s been impressive in midfield for Francisco’s Elche and will not allow Pedri a simple 90 minutes.
