Barcelona winger Pedro has laughed off suggestions that his team already hold a significant advantage in the La Liga title race after moving six points clear of Real Madrid.
While Madrid have stumbled to consecutive defeats against Real Sociedad and Atletico Madrid, Barca have progressed smoothly to a maximum nine points without conceding a single goal in the process.
But Pedro, who has won four league titles at the Nou Camp, believes it’s too early to start looking at league tables.
He said: “An advantage is always a good thing, but the league has only just started. There are a lot of games left to play and being six points ahead doesn’t mean anything now.”
Pedro is the only Barca forward not to have scored for the club so far this season, with Lionel Messi and Neymar both on two goals apiece while youngsters Munir El Haddadi and Sandro have also registered.
Competition for places in the starting XI is fiercer than ever in the forward positions, with Messi a guaranteed starter whenever he is fit and Neymar starting to show signs of settling into life in Spain.
The emergence of Munir and Sandro has provided further options, while Luis Suarez will next month also be available for selection following the end of his three-month suspension.
Pedro added: “I just want to work. I’m competing with the best strikers in the world and it’s hard to always get in the team. What Munir and Sandro are doing is motivating for all of us.”
Meanwhile, the club’s board have began their court case against former president Joan Laporta and 16 of his ex-colleagues over financial negligence during their time in charge between 2003 and 2010.