FC Barcelona‘s pre-season images featuring Spanish midfielder Pedri have left fans online amazed. The 20-year-old is mostly associated with a nimble figure, allowing him to maneuver out of tight spaces with ease. However, the newly released pictures display Pedri in an entirely different light.
The Golden Boy winner appears to have undergone an incredible physical transformation during the summer. And as a result, some fans have claimed that Pedri looks nearly ‘unrecognizable’. Until last season, the midfielder had a comparatively slender physique. His arms, in particular, lacked muscular definition and they certainly weren’t ‘beefy’.
Fast forward to now, and Pedri’s build is nothing less than shocking. As seen in these images, the midfielder has bulked up considerably. Sporting a vest, the 20-year-old’s bulging biceps stand out immediately. Besides the ‘guns’, his forearms also appear to have received an upgrade.
Pedri has been hitting the gym during his time off! 😳💪
What a tranformation 🤯 pic.twitter.com/SiYk9vQ99M
— SPORTbible (@sportbible) July 12, 2023
BRO DID THE BULK THIS SUMMER https://t.co/AN6CDA1Ijp
— MJ (@baklava_baby) July 11, 2023
— Toni Juanmartí (@tjuanmarti) July 11, 2023
Pedri 2023 vs Pedri 2020. 🥵 pic.twitter.com/tnvQRC2ypg
— BarçaTimes (@BarcaTimes) July 11, 2023
🔥🔥🔥boy is pumping up https://t.co/LsZtufpYQr
— LM D10S 🐺 (@anecdotesucker) July 12, 2023
Can we take a moment to marvel at this transformation🥶🥶 https://t.co/acVvZHKXAR pic.twitter.com/Cz0N7HZ1h1
— Mad 🇮🇳 (@Madhavji999) July 12, 2023
Fans online were left stunned by his transformation, leading to all sorts of reactions. Some comparisons, featuring the midfielder’s ‘before and after’ images, led to even more amazement online.
The change in physicality could lead to a loss of agility for the midfielder. However, the added bulk will certainly make him even harder to dispossess for opposition defenders. Needless to say, the drastic transformation didn’t just occur overnight, as Pedri has been following an intense training regime since 2020.
The secret behind Pedri’s physical transformation
As per Mundo Deportivo, Barcelona had prepped a training program for Pedri while he was on loan at Las Palmas. The midfielder went through several tests, allowing Barcelona’s trainers to curate a special regime for the player. Following his return to Camp Nou, the schedule was enacted. The objective was to help Pedri gain additional muscle mass. And to achieve the goal, the Spaniard did three extra gym sessions on his own every week.
Image: Pedri training in the gym. pic.twitter.com/4EuZAUGjmh
— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) July 4, 2023
Besides this, the regular gym sessions with his teammates also continued, meaning that Pedri really put the work in. The training staff supervised all the sessions, lending extra care to his physical transformation. Given his noticeable bulk-up, it’s safe to say that the regime worked wonders.