Andres Iniesta will be sorely missed when he leaves Barcelona this summer but you could forgive Real Madrid fans for wanting to see the back of the midfielder.
The Spain playmaker will line up in his final El Clasico on Sunday, yet even Los Blancos supporters travelling to the Nou Camp will appreciate Iniesta’s immense contribution.
The 33-year-old was afforded a rare standing ovation at the Bernabeu back in 2015 – an honour rarely bestowed upon a Barcelona player – but Iniesta is no ordinary player.
Alongside Lionel Messi, he has been the heart and soul of Barca’s outstanding side of the last generation.
A technically gifted midfielder who is equally strong on either foot, Iniesta has ravaged defences with instinctive, pinpoint passes and nimble footwork throughout his career.
He has done this at the highest level, helping Barcelona claim a wealth of trophies since breaking into the first team in 2002.
He is set to leave Camp Nou with 32 major club honours to his name, including nine La Liga titles and four Champions Leagues.
Iniesta is one of the greatest graduates of Barcelona’s famed youth system. He joined the club at the age of 12 in 1996 and progressed through the ranks, including the Barcelona B team, before breaking into the first team.
Such was his versatility he initially made an impression as a defender but his talents soon demanded he was pushed further up the field.
He featured prominently in the 2004-05 title-winning campaign but it was the following season he truly came of age at elite level.
With Xavi injured, Iniesta ran the Barca midfield as they won the Champions League for only the second time in the club’s history.
🎩 @andresiniesta8 + #ElClásico = 😍 pic.twitter.com/T0d7QhDJaH
— FC Barcelona 🏆🏆 (@FCBarcelona) May 3, 2018
When Xavi returned, the pair went on to form one of the great midfield partnerships, feeding the awesome Messi, as Barca took the game to new levels under Pep Guardiola. Further Champions League successes followed in 2009, 2011 and, with Luis Enrique in charge, in 2015.
Anyone who saw last month’s Copa del Rey final, when a 33-year-old Iniesta rolled back the years with a typically masterful display in a 5-0 thrashing of Sevilla, may wonder why he wants to move on now.
Yet the news had been expected for some time and no one could deny he has earned the right to bow out on his own terms – with reports circulating about a potential move to the Far East.
His time on the highest stage is not yet over, though, with one last chance to punish old foes Real sure to whet his appetite.
He has also shone on the international stage and the prospect remains of a glorious swansong with Spain at this summer’s World Cup, having been the goalscoring hero in the 2010 final in the win over Holland.
Provided by Press Association Sport
