Carried by his teammates, showered with praise by the coach, idolized by the fans. Pedro is showing just what a 37-year-old can still achieve at Lazio.
There were only eight left. After Andres Iniesta retired, only eight Spanish world champions from 2010 are still active. European champion Jesus Navas (38), who scored the winning goal against Getafe in mid-September, is still in great form. Raul Albiol (39, seven league games for Villarreal) also seems indestructible, while Sergio Ramos (37) is still looking for a club. The Marca recently speculated about a return of the defender to Real Madrid, as the Royal are currently short of personnel in defense.
But another member of the illustrious squad is currently the talk of the town: Pedro.
Many at Lazio now prefer to call him San Pedrito – his sainthood in the Eternal City seems to be just around the corner. Last season, the 37-year-old showed that he is not past his best. He played in 33 league games, 28 of them as a substitute. He also made eight appearances in the Champions League (seven as a substitute).
The winger brought new momentum to the game from the bench, even if he no longer matched his best performances in terms of scoring (one league goal, two in the Champions League).
This season is different. On the first matchday of the Europa League, Pedro had already set up a goal in the 3-0 win over Hamburg in the tie against Dynamo Kyiv, and a week later he scored the opening goal against Nice (4-1). And what a goal it was! After a corner he took from the right, the French team couldn’t clear the danger zone. Pedro snuck into the box and hammered the ball from half-right with his left foot from 13 meters under the crossbar. He later set up another goal.
It got even better. Three days later, Lazio faced Empoli in Serie A, and this time Pedro came off the bench again, as he had in two league games before. In the 84th minute, after a fine through ball, he found himself in almost the same position in the penalty area as when he scored against Nice – and he did almost the same thing. This time it was a powerful shot from the right, and again the ball hit the lower part of the crossbar before it went in.
Raffaela Carrà is back in fashion
Lazio won 2-1, and after the game, the teammates carried the scorer of the winning goal on their shoulders. After they had put him down again, there was a serenade. In the stands, the fans sang the chorus “Pedro Pedro Pedro Pedro Pe” from the eighties classic “Pedro” by Raffaella Carrà. The 37-year-old couldn’t wipe the grin off his face.
Two goals and two assists in just 200 minutes of play – Pedro has every reason to enjoy his second spring. “The goal against Nice was harder to come by, but both are wonderful,” “I wanted to score goals to gain confidence and show that I can still help the team.”
As long as the coach is Marco Baroni, Pedro will continue to get game time, as his words suggest. “He’s an extraordinary player, a great champion, a constant reference for everyone and a role model,” he said of Pedro, who has won every major title except the Conference League – 25 in total.
“If the young players are smart, they should look at how he laces up his shoes in the locker room,” Baroni continued. ‘He’s at a very good level. I’ve never seen a player train like that. He can play for another three years.’
Pedro sets his sights on the top flight
How things will continue for Pedro will probably only be decided at short notice. Last season, his contract was automatically extended after 25 appearances. Nevertheless, Pedro and the Lazio bosses sat down together to discuss whether it was really worth continuing.
So far, neither of them regrets the decision. “I’m very pleased with Baroni’s words,” said Pedro, who joined Lazio from city rivals AS Roma in 2020 at the behest of Maurizio Sarri – the first player to do so since Carlo Perrone in 1981.
The fact that Pedro has already set himself targets for the season suggests that he wants to stay with the team, currently in fourth place, for the upcoming season as well. “Playing in Europe must always be Lazio’s goal. We have the chance to reach the Champions League, but it’s too early to say.” It seems that, for Pedro, it’s never too late.
