Next Pedri: Ranking every player wearing No.8 for Barcelona since 1995

Pedri is the last player to wear Barcelona's No.8 - but how have previous holders of the shirt fared?

Nine players have worn the shirt since La Liga introduced fixed squad numbers for the 1995-96 season and it's been a bit of a mixed bag.

We've ranked every player wearing the No.8 shirt for Barcelona since then, from worst to best.

9. Miralem Pjanic

Pjanic arrived at Barcelona in the summer of 2020 with serious pedigree, having previously played for Juventus, Roma and Lyon.

But the Bosnia and Herzegovina international struggled with injuries and was frozen out by Ronaldo Koeman, starting just six La Liga games in 2020-21.

He took to Instagram in May 2021 and wrote, "This season leaves me with a bitter taste and questions that still need answers."

After being usurped by teenagers Gavi and Pedri, Pjanic joined Turkish side Besiktas on a season-long loan deal in September 2021.

The 32-year-old has been impressive in pre-season and is ready to take a pay cut to stay at Barca.

8. Albert Celades

Having made 36 La Liga appearances under Louis van Gaal in Barcelona's title-winning campaign of 1997-98, Celdades was later rewarded with the No.8 shirt.

While Van Gaal's side retained the title in 1998-99, the defensive midfielder played a much smaller role and started just 11 La Liga games.

He was later allowed to leave Barcelona and spent a season at Celta Vigo before joining Real Madrid in 2000.

7. Hristo Stoichkov

After Barcelona replaced Johan Cruyff with Bobby Robson in May 1996, Stoichkov decided to return to the Blaugrana and subsequently received his No.8 shirt.

During his first spell at Camp Nou, the striker scored 108 goals in 214 appearances in all competitions and also won the 1994 Ballon d'Or.

But the former Bulgarian international was past his best in 1996 and often found himself on the Barcelona bench, sitting behind Ronaldo, Juan Antonio Pizzi and Giovanni in the pecking order.

"It's gone, finished in many ways," Robson said. “He can't run so how can he play? It's fine for half an hour, but in the long run it's over."

Stoichkov scored just eight goals in 35 appearances in all competitions in 1996-97 and returned to Bulgarian side CSKA Sofia midway through the following season.

READ: A tribute to Hristo Stoichkov in Barcelona, ​​the boss of the Dream Team

6.Arthur

Once dubbed the new Xavi, Arthur rose through the ranks at boyhood club Gremio before completing a €31m move to Barcelona in 2018.

The Brazil international won La Liga in his debut season and showed some real quality glimpses, but he didn't show the levels of commitment expected of a top professional footballer.

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After partying with Neymar in Paris and appearing overweight at times, he was sent to Juventus in 2020 in a deal that involved Pjanic going the other way.

5. Guillermo Amor

A native of Barcelona's La Masia academy, Amor made his first-team debut in 1988 and went on to become a key part of the team that won four consecutive league titles.

He wore several different numbers during his early years in the senior team before becoming the first Barcelona player to be officially awarded the No.8 shirt before the 1995-96 season.

The midfielder scored nine goals in 40 appearances in all competitions, but Barcelona endured a disappointing campaign and went without a trophy for the first time since 1986-87.

Amor lost the No.8 after just one season and left Camp Nou two years later, having made over 400 appearances for the club.

4. Dani Alves

Alves is one of the best players in Barcelona's history, but he only wore the number 8 shirt...