Context:

Barcelona forward Ferran Torres expressed his belief that his teammate Pedri deserves the Ballon d'Or for 2025 due to his exceptional performance this season, highlighting Pedri's role as a pivotal player controlling the tempo in Barcelona's midfield. Despite a heartbreaking loss to Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League semifinal, Torres emphasizes the importance of focusing on the upcoming El Clasico, which is crucial for Barcelona's La Liga title hopes. Torres considers the setback in Milan as motivation to finish the season strong and believes the team has a bright future with more opportunities for success. Having scored 19 goals across 44 matches this season and finishing as the top scorer in the Copa del Rey, Torres is experiencing his best season at Camp Nou. He remains optimistic about Barcelona's young team, confident in their potential to succeed in the future.

Dive Deeper:

• Ferran Torres believes Pedri should win the Ballon d'Or in 2025, citing his exceptional ability to control the game's tempo and his role as a central figure in Hansi Flick's system at Barcelona.

• Barcelona suffered a devastating defeat against Inter Milan in the UEFA Champions League semifinal, which ended their run in the competition, but the team is now focused on winning the La Liga title.

• The upcoming El Clasico against Real Madrid is seen as a pivotal match for Barcelona's La Liga aspirations, and Torres emphasizes the need to concentrate on this crucial game.

• Torres views the loss in Milan as a source of motivation, reinforcing the importance of ending the season with a celebration by securing the La Liga title.

• Despite the disappointment in Europe, Torres is having an outstanding season with Barcelona, scoring 19 goals in 44 matches and becoming the top scorer in the Copa del Rey, which they won.

• Torres expresses confidence in Barcelona's young squad, believing that they have demonstrated their potential and will have more opportunities for success in the future.

• As a content producer for The Sporting News, Atrayo Bhattacharya has covered these insights and highlights the optimism within the Barcelona camp ahead of their critical matches.

• Barcelona suffered a heartbreaking defeat in the semifinal second leg against Inter Milan at San Siro to crash out of the 2024/25 UEFA Champions League. But Hansi Flick's men have no time to sit and reflect on the result as they have to fight for the La Liga crown this season with Sunday's El Clasico being a determining factor. 

• Ahead of the most important game in this season's La Liga, Barcelona forward Ferran Torres sat down with Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo and made an audacious admission on his Ballon d'Or candidate for this year. 

• The Spain international believes his compatriot Pedri, who has been a metronome for the Blaugrana this season deserves the prestigious Ballon d'Or this year. The young Spaniard is basically the fulcrum of this Barcelona team under the tutelage of Flick. 

• Torres highlighted how Pedri is the one who controls the tempo of Barcelona in the midfield and makes Flick's system work. When asked about the 22-year-old's quality, Torres wasn't surprised. 

• “Well, I’m not surprised because I never had any doubt about him. I think he’s a different player. He’s showing it this year, but even in previous years, you could see it. But I believe we still haven’t seen the best version of Pedri, he can give much more.”

• The Barcelona forward feels the best of Pedri is yet to come. “That’s what Pedri is like; he never fails. Whenever he’s needed, he’s there, just like when he’s not. We haven’t seen the best version of Pedri yet, he can give much more.”

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• Later, when the 25-year-old was asked about his Ballon d'Or candidate for the year, he was quick to take Pedri's name once again. “Yes, for me, he should get it because the level he’s showing is something extraordinary.”

• What did Ferran Torres say ahead of El Clasico?

  Barcelona were almost through to the final until Francesco Acerbi scored a last-gasp goal to keep Inter Milan in the tie, only to win it in extra time. So it was surely heartbreaking, but Torres doesn't want to delve into that anymore rather, he intends to shift his focus to Sunday's game against Real Madrid. 

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