Fernando Alonso isn’t only a two-time Method One world champion – he’s additionally a lifelong Actual Madrid supporter.
Born in Oviedo, Spain, the racing legend has been noticed on the Santiago Bernabéu on quite a few events and has even been named an honorary member of the membership. So when he instructed Los Blancos signal a participant from their largest rivals, Barcelona, it naturally made headlines.
Talking to DAZN forward of the Spanish Grand Prix, Alonso was requested a cheeky however intriguing query: “If you happen to may signal one Barcelona participant for Actual Madrid, who wouldn’t it be?”
Smiling, Alonso gave a playful — and strategic — reply: “I might signal Pedri for Madrid, to weaken Barça. I additionally do this on the PlayStation… after which depart him on the bench.”
The remark, delivered with a tongue-in-cheek grin, caught many off guard. With Barcelona having simply pipped Madrid to La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Tremendous Cup this season, some might need anticipated Alonso to decide on stars like Lamine Yamal or Raphinha, who mixed for a staggering 102 objective contributions in 2025/26.
However Pedri — who quietly returned to his finest this yr — was central to Barça’s midfield dominance, dictating the tempo and controlling matches in a approach that evoked legends like Xavi and Iniesta. Whereas he might not be the flashiest title on the crew sheet, Pedri is undoubtedly certainly one of their most significant.
So, whereas Alonso’s reply could have began as a joke, it displays a deeper fact: to harm Barcelona, you’re taking away their heartbeat.