Anthony Gordon has praised Barcelona team-mate Pedri, saying the Spaniard sees runs no one else has. The comments may hint at limitations of his former Newcastle colleagues.
Gordon's praise for Pedri
Less than six months after leaving Newcastle United, Anthony Gordon has appeared to indirectly criticise his former team-mates. The winger joined Barcelona shortly before the World Cup and has been full of praise for his new colleagues.
One player who has made a big impression on the England international is Pedri. In hailing the playmaking ability of the former Las Palmas star, Gordon appeared to point out the limitations of those he played with at St James' Park.
Adapting to Barcelona's style
“I’ve made many runs throughout my career that no one saw, but now I have Pedri, who sees absolutely everything,” Gordon told Sport. “Adapting has been relatively easy because at Newcastle we already played a similar style – pressing hard and attacking with the team pushed high up the pitch.
“With the ball as well, now I play surrounded by some of the best footballers in the world. The best Barca side I’ve ever seen is Pep Guardiola's – the one that won the Champions League with players like Xavi and Andres Iniesta. I want this team to be remembered forever.”
Gordon's former team-mates
Gordon played with a number of top midfielders during his three-and-a-half years at Newcastle, including Sandro Tonali and Bruno Guimaraes, who left for a combined £175million over the summer.
While the indication that no one saw as much as Pedri might be read as criticism, others might see it as a sign that the Spain international is one of a kind. Paul Scholes is another big fan, suggesting in 2025 that Pedri was becoming his new favourite player.
Flick's response and Barcelona's success
Barcelona boss Hansi Flick opened up on how much that meant to the 23-year-old. "When you're an attacking player, you're more in the spotlight," Flick said in September 2025. "What Scholes says means a lot; he was a great midfielder.
"Pedri is at an incredible level, as is Frenkie [de Jong]. I'm very happy with what I see in training, the quality with which we train... the mood is fantastic. You can see that. This mood helps us keep going."
Barcelona went on to win the 2025/26 La Liga title by an eight-point margin over Real Madrid. They eliminated Newcastle from the Champions League with an 8-3 aggregate victory but were beaten by Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals.
Gordon was one of several summer additions made ahead of what Barca hope will be a successful title defence. The winger, joined by the likes of Rodri and Karim Adeyemi at Spotify Camp Nou, has delivered five assists in his first seven appearances for his new club.
