Pedro Has Final Champions League Chance for Barcelona Before Luis Suarez Debut

This year saw a summer of significant change at Barcelona, not only with new manager Luis Enrique coming in to replace Tata Martino but also with alterations at board level and, forced due to an impending transfer ban, more incoming and outgoing business than usual on the playing staff.

In attack, Alexis Sanchez, Cristian Tello, Bojan Krkic, Gerard Deulofeu, Isaac Cuenca, Ibrahim Afellay and Cesc Fabregas all departed the scene, either permanently or for this season alone but Pedro Rodriguez, despite some media speculation, was one of those who remained.

Now 27 years of age, there is a feeling that Pedro has not capitalised as much on his early success as he might have done and now, with Luis Suarez ready to burst onto the scene, might be facing his last chance to make a big impact and play a big part this season with Barca's Champions League tie against Ajax on Tuesday.

Pedro's Problem

Although he had made appearances in the first team in the two seasons previous, it wasn't until 2009-10 season that Pedro really made a name for himself as a starter and a scorer for Barcelona.

Denis Doyle/Getty Images

He hit 12 goals in the league that year as Barca took the title, making his own little piece of history by scoring in six different competitions during the campaign: La Liga, Copa del Rey, Champions League, Supercopa, UEFA Super Cup and the Club World Cup.

The trend continued with 13 in the league, 22 in all competitions, the following season—but since then he seems to have lost his way in front of goal somewhat. Perhaps due in part to the managerial changes, perhaps just having peaked early or being unsettled by the constant signings in his positions; either way, Pedro's trademark of bursting beyond the defence down the inside channels and finishing adroitly into the bottom corner has been a lesser-spotted one over the past three seasons.

Getty Images/Getty Images

He did return to form with 15 last season, but many—eight in fact—came within a 12-game spell in the middle of the campaign when the team was at it's most confident and impressive.

Game time is often a problem at the biggest clubs with the best players and the most depth, but a dozen 90-minute appearances last term indicates just how frequently Pedro is either subbed or used as sub. He amassed around 2,300 minutes despite only missing out on one game during the campaign—an average of just over an hour per fixture spent on the pitch. 

Breakthrough

While his own form has fluctuated over the pitch, La Masia continues to provide any number of potential candidates to take his place on a regular basis.

None have managed it—yet.

Cuenca never quite looked the part, while Tello impressed at times but ultimately clearly lacks the intelligence or variation in his game to be a regular starter while Barcelona challenge on all fronts. Bojan, too, faded drastically after a lightning start to his career.

David Ramos/Getty Images

Now come Munir El Haddadi and Sandro Ramirez, the former best from the left of the attack and the latter looking most comfortable centrally—though the barrier there is great indeed. Both have been selected to start games or come on as sub this season for Barcelona while Pedro remains on the bench.

"

Adama Traoré could be starting for Barcelona’s first team if Lucho wanted. Makes Pedro look like a second division footballer.

— Rafael Hernández (@RafaelH117) October 19, 2014"

S'N'M

And so to Pedro's most immediate and pressing problem of all: The imminent debut of Luis Suarez, signed this summer for £75 million after sharing last season's European Golden Boot award with Cristiano Ronaldo, having excelled in scoring, creating and exciting while at Liverpool.

David Ramos/Getty Images

Pedro was handed another start by Luis Enrique in the weekend win over Eibar, a tiny Basque side with a population less than a third the size of the Camp Nou, but the forward was once more unable to have any telling kind of impact at all.

He was subbed for Sandro after 70 minutes without having really made any impression, living on the fringes of the game and not able to link with Lionel Messi and Xavi as he would have hoped.

"

With Sergi Roberto out and Andres Iniesta in, FC Barcelona now has 9* men on the pitch. *Pedro and Pique are still in the game. ;)

— Xoel Càrdenas (@XoelCardenas) October 18, 2014"

A Champions League game against Ajax is, in all effectiveness, Pedro's last chance saloon.

He may well even go on to start El Clasico next week but headlines and focus will be elsewhere and, save for a goalscoring return to form to win the game, whatever he does in that match will be lost amid the potential debuts, records and other talking points.

Pedro absolutely must have an impact in the Champions League against worthwhile opposition to show Luis Enrique he remains someone to be called upon this term. Neymar has improved somewhat in his performances but dramatically in his end product. Messi's position is untouchable.

It will be the new big signing, the irrepressible and unpredictable Suarez that Pedro finds himself up against in the short term—and unless he comes up with something big, and quickly, his remaining time in the team will be exactly that: short.

Follow @karlmatchett