Xavi, Pedro extend Barcelona contracts

Barcelona midfielder Xavi Hernandez and forward Pedro Rodriguez have extended their contracts with the Spanish champions, the club announced on Wednesday.

Pedro, who scored Spain’s final goal in Tuesday’s 6-0 friendly defeat of Poland in Murcia, extended his contract by one year until 2015.

The 22-year-old’s release clause was increased to 90 million euros from 75 million euros.

“It?s been a very good year. I?m very happy with a season that will probably be unrepeatable,” he told Barcelona’s television station after signing the deal.

Xavi, who has spent his entire career at Barcelona, will stay at the club until 2016 as long as he plays at least half of the Catalan side’s matches in his final two seasons. His contract had been due to expire in 2014.

The 30-year-old played 53 of Barcelona’s 59 competitive first team matches last season.

If he stays with Barcelona until 2016 he will have spent 25 years at the club, having joined the youth academy when he was 11 years old.

In the 12 years that he has been part of Barcelona’s senior squad, he has scored 54 goals in 527 appearances.

Only Migueli with 553 matches has made more appearances for the club in the history of Barcelona.

Both Pedro and Xavi are part of Spain’s World Cup squad.