Andres Iniesta is a man with many titles. There is ‘Don Andres’ and ‘El Ilusionista’ but the one most fitting is the ‘King of Finals’.
The Spaniard produced a man-of-the-match performance in what is expected to be his final cup appearance in a Barcelona shirt as the Blaugrana romped to a fourth straight Copa del Rey success on Saturday.
The 5-0 triumph was another orchestrated by the brilliance of the departing skipper, who scored his side’s fourth, with the 33-year-old owning a unique haul of being awarded MOTM in the final of a World Cup, European Championships, Champions League and Copa del Rey.
Iniesta is expected to end his two-decade association with the Catalan giants by moving to China in the summer, so it’s only right we look at some of his finest moments in a Barca shirt.
STAND TO APPLAUSE
Real Madrid 0-4 Barcelona, 21/11/15
For an opposition player, a Bernabeu ovation is a rare but stunning sight. It is, however, exceptional for Barcelona stars to be honoured with Ronaldinho and Diego Maradona just two to be acclaimed.
Iniesta joined that distinguished list in 2015 when he bossed the Bernabeu in a 4-0 El Clasico league victory.
The maestro playmaker, captaining the side for the first time against Madrid, assisted Neymar’s goal in the first half before smashing in an unstoppable effort in the second.
When he was brought off for Munir, he departed to a cacophony of applause with many corners of the grand stadium standing to acknowledge a dazzling display.
He is one of the few Barca players Madrid supporters are allowed to love.
DEVIL FOR THE REDS
Barcelona 2-0 Manchester United, 27/05/09
Iniesta was an injury doubt leading up to the Champions League final against United in Rome and it was small wonder Barcelona fans were desperate for him to be passed fit.
The Blaugrana success came from their midfield rather than the forwards and the twin dynamism of Xavi and Iniesta destroyed United.
Iniesta’s size, or lack of it, was an advantage as he weaved through a physical United, setting up Samuel Eto’o’s opener on the way to the second of his four Champions League triumphs.
They say Rome wasn’t built in a day and the cliche resonates with Pep Guardiola’s dominant team because their triumph was first constructed the day Iniesta entered La Masia in 1996.
BREAKING BLUE HEARTS
Chelsea 1-1 Barcelona, 06/05/09
If there is one goal and one moment which has become the emblem of Iniesta’s Barca career it is his strike against Chelsea. The Blues were 1-0 up in the second-leg of their semi-final at Stamford Bridge with the Blaugrana staring exit in the face.
But Iniesta sucked the soul out the Premier League side with a breathtaking equaliser, decisive and deadly late in the game.
Some 20 yards out, he caressed the ball first time with the outside of his boot with Petr Cech helpless to stop it.
“I struck it with all my soul and it went in perfectly,” Iniesta said post match.
