Inter, who is Pedro Henrique? From Champions League opponent to new target for the flank
The Brazilian full-back enjoyed success in the head-to-head Champions League clash.
Despite playing with 10 men, Inter beat Shakhtar Donetsk's 11 in the Champions League, lifting spirits and reviving their European campaign. The match also gave Inter's recruitment staff a chance to watch a previously recommended talent live and up close, a player who could become a transfer target.
One player in particular caught their eye: Brazilian full-back Pedro Henrique, born in 2002. He convinced them he could be worth investing in, and his valuation is already soaring.
The match against Inter
Pedro Henrique started against Inter and played all 93 minutes. He did not stand out going forward, particularly on a flank where he faced a below-par Spence and then the pairing of Diouf and Luis Henrique. Instead, his explosive defensive recoveries, strength in one-on-one situations and almost inexhaustible engine impressed Inter's scouts and Marotta himself.
Pace and quality
A natural left-footer, he combines stamina with sharp acceleration over short distances. He plays at full-back in a back four but can also operate on the right, with his stronger foot on the inside. Those physical qualities would also help him adapt to an attacking wing-back role covering the entire flank in a five-man midfield.
On the ball, he has quality too. He already has a goal this season, a powerful strike from outside the box, as well as an assist. His attacking output has risen markedly in recent years, with 12 assists and three goals over that period.
The controversial move to Athletico Paranaense
Pedro Henrique Azevedo Pereira was born on 11 July 2002 in Salvador, in the Brazilian state of Bahia. An attacking winger when he came through Vitoria's youth ranks, he gradually moved into a deeper role before making his first-team debut in 2020. His performances prompted Athletico Paranaense to invest in him in 2021.
After the move, the two clubs became embroiled in a dispute. Vitoria accused the Furaçao of failing to honour a promise to send him back on loan after signing him, while Athletico Paranaense maintained that they had signed him on a free transfer to avoid paying a transfer fee. Pedrinho, a nickname used because his father was called Pedro, was even sidelined for a short period. The case went to the CBF's National Dispute Resolution Chamber, which ordered a payment of 8.5 million reais to settle the deal.
And the betting scandal
He became embroiled in the 2023 betting scandal dubbed Penalidade Maxima, facing a formal investigation and accusations that he accepted 80,000 Brazilian reais to receive a yellow card against Cuiabà. He did receive one.
Even before prosecutors formally brought the charge that year, Athletico Paranaense released him and team-mate Bryan Garcia (source: Globo Esporte). Soon afterwards, he accepted Shakhtar Donetsk's advances, leaving Brazil to restart his career in Europe.
