Pedri's strike earned Barcelona a battling 1-0 win over Villarreal Sunday to move 11 points clear of second-placed Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga.
The champions, who won the Club World Cup Saturday, face Elche in midweek to try and bite back into the growing gap.
Earlier Memphis Depay scored his first Atletico Madrid goal as Diego Simeone's side beat Celta Vigo 1-0 to consolidate their position in fourth.
Barca rode their luck in a gripping clash at Estadio de la Ceramica but held off a Yellow Submarine onslaught to continue marching towards their goal of winning the title for the first time since 2019.
Defender Ronald Araujo in particular made a number of superb blocks and interceptions to help protect Barca's slim advantage until the end, locking in another clean sheet.
Barca have shut out opponents 16 times in 21 league games this season, conceding just seven goals.
"The truth is we are working really hard (defensively)," Araujo told Movistar.
"We had to correct this from last season, when teams scored a lot of goals against us, and it was hard for us to keep clean sheets.
"We're doing well at the back and the midfielders aren't leaving spaces, the forwards too. It's the fruit of (our) work."
LaLiga top scorer Robert Lewandowski missed two big chances for Barca.
However the Polish international, LaLiga's top scorer, made up for it with a cushioned pass for Pedri to open the scoring after 18 minutes.
Barca fashioned a superb team move, finished off by the 20-year old midfielder for his fourth goal in seven games across all competitions.
Jose Luis Morales should have levelled for Villarreal but did not connect well with a volley and later fired wide when through on goal.
The hosts, who beat Real in January, were willing to attack the leaders and it led to an entertaining battle which ebbed and flowed from end to end.
The Catalans face Manchester United in the Europa League next, Thursday.
"There's a lot of points left (to play for), there's so long to go," said Barca coach Xavi.
"The run is extraordinary but we can improve things. We are efficient and very solid, to win these games which are really hard."
Villarreal, eighth, have now lost three league games in a row.
Earlier Simeone's Atletico, down to 10 men after Stefan Savic's red card, were outplayed by Celta but Depay reacted quickly to spin and bury a loose ball in the 89th minute.
The Dutch forward, signed from Barca in January, netted in LaLiga for the first time since September.
"It was an important goal above all for the team, and for him," said Simeone.
"He worked well this week, he needs minutes and will compete in training to get them.
"There's competition between the players and it's good that it's hard for us to decide (who plays)."
Goalkeeper Jan Oblak made a string of stunning saves, while Celta striker Iago Aspas hit the crossbar from a free kick, as the hosts dominated at Balaidos.
Atletico defender Savic was dismissed in the 70th minute for hauling down Swiss striker Haris Seferovic on the edge of the area.
Remarkably the Montenegrin defender has been dismissed three times in his last five appearances across all competitions.
With Atletico out of European competition and beaten in the Copa del Rey by rivals Real, securing Champions League football with a top-four finish is their target.
The harsh defeat leaves Celta provisionally 14th, unable to add a third consecutive victory to their wins over Real Betis and Athletic Bilbao.
Elsewhere Rayo Vallecano, sixth, were unable to beat lowly Getafe in a Madrid derby, sharing a 1-1 draw, while Real Valladolid and Osasuna drew 0-0.
Real Sociedad, third, travel to face Espanyol Monday.
RESULTS
Getafe 1 (Unal 77) Vallecano 1 (Arambarri 38-og)
Celta 0 Atletico 1 (Depay 89)
Valladolid 0 Osasuna 0
Villarreal 0 Barcelona 1 (Pedri 18)
Saturday
Almeria 2 (Suarez 27, Costa 63) Betis 3 (Rodri 6, Canales 42, Guardado 70)
Sevilla 2 (En-Nesyri 28, Gil 40) Mallorca 0
Valencia 1 (Castillejo 17) Athletic 2 (Nico 30, Sancet 72)
Friday
Cadiz 2 (Escalante 6, Guardiola 34) Girona 0