Why is Pedri Not Playing in Chelsea vs Barcelona UCL Clash Tonight?

A classic European match-up is on the cards for us, Premier League outfit Chelsea welcomes FC Barcelona in the UEFA Champions League meeting at Stamford Bridge on Tuesday evening. Both sides are competing for a top-eight finish in the League phase in a crucial European fixture in the English capital.

The Blues will be a tough challenge for the Spanish champions, Barcelona, who are riding on the back of two successive elated La Liga wins, a 4-2 success against Celta Vigo, followed by a convincing 4-0 victory over Athletic Club Bilbao upon their return to Camp Nou last weekend. Hansi Flick's side has gained a significant boost, welcoming several of their key players back from injury post international break.

However, the Catalan giants will miss one of their best players, Pedri, in this away European outing against Chelsea. The German coach confirms ahead of the face-off in London. Many of us must be wondering Is Pedri playing today? and Pedri injury update.

Hansi Flick's Verdict on Pedri's Playing Chances vs Chelsea

The primary question is Is Pedri Playing today? Barcelona's midfield sensation Pedri Gonzalez has travelled with the Bluagrana squad to the English capital despite not getting the clearance to mark his return on the field from the club. The Spanish international sustained a muscular injury and remained on the sidelines throughout November, missing four matches across all competitions. Here's more information on Pedri Injury Update.

His last match in action was against Real Madrid in a 2-1 upset in the El Clásico last month. Moreover, the 23-year-old was also unavailable for Spain during the recent international break. FC Barcelona have been cheered with the return of Frenkie de Jong, Marcus Rashford, Raphinha and Joan Garcia. It was reported that Pedri could find his way back to the pitch ahead of the Chelsea vs Barcelona game.

In the recent press conference, Flick ruled out Pedri's possibility of getting minutes at Stamford Bridge and will need a few more days to recover fully. Flick said, “You never know, but I’m happy to face Chelsea because it’s a good test. The team has improved a lot in recent weeks. Frenkie is back, Rashford too. Raphinha could get more playing time. Pedri might return at the end of the week. Joan Garcia is back as well. We’re training focused and hard. Now we’ll see how we do.”