Pedro: All calm at the Nou Camp
Real Madrid may be top of La Liga and yet to lose under Jose Mourinho, but Barcelona playmaker Pedro insists they are not worried.
Real are a single point ahead of their arch rivals and unbeaten in 10 league games, sparking speculation that Mourinho could well weave his title-winning magic in his first season at the Bernabeu.
But Pedro insists there will be no panic buttons pushed at the Camp Nou just yet.
"Madrid have always been a strong team and a difficult one to beat, they show it every year," he told Revista. "They are always at the top and lose very few games.
"Sure, their game may have improved but they will be at the top all year round. We have to try and make it a tricky league for all the teams involved, as many are playing well.
"Every team plays the same away against us, whether we are at home or away. It seems as if we virtually play against two rows of 10 - it's very hard for us to find space.
"But we are still playing our game, measuring what level we are at and we shall see what happens from here until the end of the season."
One man trying to make it tricky is of course the Special One.
He has, as expected, not been backwards in coming forwards since arriving in Spain and has been doing his subtle best to unsettle Pep Guardiola's reigning champions.
But rather than use his words as motivation, Pedro reveals that what Mourinho says tends to go in one Catalan ear and out of the other.
"No we don't give it any importance, he may say some things but we don't pay any attention," he said. "We only think about our next game as that is the most important thing."
Pedro admits that Barca have found it harder to break teams down this season, but they have not been helped by speculation surrounding their own coach's future.
Guardiola's contract is up for renewal at the end of the season and he has already been linked with a move to the Premier League, including Manchester United
But Pedro insists he is still as committed to the Catalan cause as ever.
"He is a serious man, disciplined, he enjoys his job," he said. "He spends many hours watching football and tries to correct things in training.
"He reads the game well and with his ideas you can win games because he understands football. He spends a lot of time with the players motivating them.
"He has many great attributes which is why he is such a great coach and has won the things he has."