FIFA 23 FUT BIRTHDAY PEDRI PLAYER REVIEW - COP OR FLOP?

One, two, three and Haaaappy Birrrrthday toooo youuuuuu…

It’s that time of year again and Ultimate Team is turning 14. The age where kids tend to make new “friends”, hang out round the bike sheds with the “wrong sort” and become more rebellious with every passing day. It’s almost like they already want to leave home, but they’ll have to wait for September to do that!

Yes, FUT Birthday has returned. One of the most anticipated promos of the year due to the usual ramping up of the power curve and the classic beasts of FUT Birthdays past. It is also a promo where EA tend to start throwing around 5 star skill moves and weak foot like Oprah giving away iPhones. “You get 5 star, and you get 5 star…”

The first player SBC of the promo has been released and it’s the young Spanish phenom from Barcelona that only has one name but isn’t Gavi, Pedri. The card design is, once again, a stunner and EA have given the Spaniard a 91 rated version. 

However, they’ve also been a little stingy with the card. More of that later…

Check out the card! - Pedri 91

Pedri FUT Ballers SBC Requirements

#1 - Spain
Spain Player - Min 1
In Form Player Player - Min 1
Squad Rating - 82
Pack - Small Gold Players

#2 - Tactical Emulation
Barcelona Player - Min 1
Squad Rating - 86
Pack - Premium Electrum Players

#3 - La Liga
La Liga Player - Min 1
Squad Rating - 88
Pack - Prime Electrum Players

Total Cost from scratch ~ 366K
Estimated Pack Return ~ 18k

This is a steep price for a player who has a 90 rated TOTYHM card for 98k tradeable on the market. The upgrade will have to be very noticeable for this price to make any sense if completed from scratch.

However, we also know that EA don’t just take the tradeable cost into account. The last week has seen us get 7 decent fodder players from the Prem that we should have better versions of already. We also have FUT Birthday swaps on the horizon, 10 coin packs giving 85+ rated players and all of those 82x20 and 83 doubles from the past week. There is a lot of cheap fodder to be had atm.

Pedri FUT Birthday SBC In Game Analysis

We’ll get into the value for money discussion later on. But in game, much like his TOTYHM, this card is a delight to play with. 

There are few players that can accomplish the silky feeling of an attacker with a bulldog like defensive approach. In midfield you tend to see either physical beasts or attackers shoehorned into a midfielder slot. Pedri is able to straddle the gap in between. Whilst he isn’t physically imposing, his High defensive work rate and 99 stamina meant he harried and harassed opposition players all game long. With 84 standing tackle, he was able to dispossess some high quality attacking talent too. 

His pace absolutely helps his silkiness. When coupled with his 92 dribbling he practically glides across the pitch with and without the ball. With 91 attacking positioning too, he tends to drift into all the right areas. If I was ever in a bind and needed an out ball, it felt like he was always free, always making a run or creating an angle to allow the pressure to be relieved. Going forward he made brilliant darting runs into the box too.

Unfortunately when those runs were made, his lacklustre shooting definitely reared its head. With just 80 finishing and 78 shot power, it really needed to be a tap in for me to be confident of a goal. So much so that I genuinely think a gladiator could be the chemistry style for him. 

On a more positive note, his passing was a delight. With 95 vision, 93 short passing and 91 long passing, everything was available as an option when he was on the ball. With 92 composure too, he was pinpoint accurate even under heavy pressure. He really is a brilliant little midfielder who is one of the best at replicating his IRL play style. 

How Does He Compare?

As mentioned in the gameplay review, the 4 star skill moves is a problem. This promo has always been based around hyped up skill moves and weak foot. Whilst I know Pedri’s base card is only 4/4, he has already had 2 special cards with 5 star skill moves this year. For me this card had to be 5/5 especially to justify the price. 

The obvious comparison with any upgrade is the previous version of that player. As mentioned the TOTYHM is 5/4, it also has the same work rates and traits. In total it has 43 in game stats fewer that the FUT Birthday version. This is very much an IF upgrade gap. 

The FUT Birthday is better in every stat but aside from Jumping and Positioning, every upgrade is a +1 or +2. We have had the debate before over how noticeable such small increments are. I know players who swear they can feel the improvement but I do think in a blind test, you absolutely wouldn’t be able to consistently pick the difference in 93 short passing vs 92.

The question we really have to ask is, does that upgrade warrant a 400% price increase?

However, if we remove the comparison to himself, the card itself actually starts looking better and better value. Take Future Stars Gavi, he’s 560k, H/H and only 4/4. The pace comparison is a dead heat. Shooting is very close but Gavi slightly edges it, although how important that is for you in midfield does depend on your play style. Passing is also Gavi’s but only due to the 5 extra in Short Passing, all the other important starts are dead even. 

It’s in the right hand column where Pedri starts displaying his value. Whilst they have the same dribbling, Pedri is far more well rounded with every stat 90 or over. This includes a massive 9 extra composure over his younger team mate, he also has 3 extra ball control and 4 more reactions. Defensively Pedri is the slight winner again, with 8 extra defensive awareness and an extra standing tackle. 

Even though both are diminutive, Pedri does win physically too. He has maxed out stamina and 12 extra strength. Whilst I do think aggression is an important stat, and one that Gavi wins comfortably, I do think Pedri wins overall here. 

Pedri and Gavi are very similar cards, but with the extra weak foot and being 200k cheaper, Pedri really shows fantastic value for money here. 

FUT Birthday Pedri - Cop or Flop?

This SBC has 20% upvotes. And I don’t blame you. With 5/5 I genuinely think this card has 60-70% upvotes. But as it is, it feels very expensive when you’re losing that 5 star skill moves tax. 

It’s early days in FUT Birthday but it’s been an inauspicious start. Brandor46 certainly thinks so…

This is a struggle for me. It’s a lovely card to use in game but without the 5 star skill moves, I really can’t see how the price is justified over the TOTYHM.

I was hoping this would be a real superbike of an SBC, instead it’s more of a Mopedri (sorry).

Flop

SBC Rating: 4/10