Real Madrid attacking midfielder Arda Guler has not been starting as a No. 10 this season, as Jose Mourinho has righfully given the reigns to the position back to Jude Bellingham, who has looked like the best player in world football, just as he was this summer at the World Cup, in this role.
But Guler, as an inverted right winger in more of a playmaker role, has been plenty amazing in his own right. The Turkish international had seven and five key passes in his first two games, both starts, against Espanyol and Real Sociedad, crucial in both victories. And then he added a goal in an insane appearance off the bench on Matchday 3, sealing a 4-0 win over Malaga.
Barcelona nearly signed Guler in 2023 and have since made him their sworn enemy. And while the Barca fans love to gas up Pedri and talk about touches and reading the game, Guler is already putting the more experienced Spanish international in his place to start the 2026/27 La Liga season.
Arda Guler is becoming a better player than Pedri
Whereas Pedri has allowed more dribbles completed than tackles won, Arda Guler has an insane ratio of 1.7 tackles to 0.3 dribbles completed allowed per game as a more attacking player, which is a ratio so insane that most center backs and defensive midfielders would be envious.
Not only is Guler underrated in terms of his defensive work, but he is also totally destroying Pedri as a playmaker, which is no surprise. Though he only has one assist this season, just like Pedri, he is averaging an astounding four key passes per game. Pedri's average of 1.7 key passes per game is great, too, but it is not even half of Guler's four.
In the other aspects of the game, Guler comes out on top, too. Pedri has a higher pass completion percentage and more passe sper game, but Guler has double the dribbles completed per match and has also scored, while Pedri is yet to put a shot in the back of the net for Barcelona.
Look, Pedri is a phenomenal footballer, but so is Guler. And more people need to be talking about Guler as one of the best midfielders and attacking playmakers on the planet, because when you compare these two guys head to head as the cerebral engines of their teams in terms of breaking the lines as passers, Guler is coming out on top, especially when you factor in dribbling on the ball and defense, too.
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