‘Infinite Iniesta’ ready for final Barca bow
BARCELONA: With every important issue in La Liga resolved, from relegation to European qualification, Spanish football can pay tribute to Andres Iniesta this weekend, during the final round of fixtures.
Champions Barcelona host Real Sociedad, 10th, on Sunday, and the game will serve as a farewell party for captain Iniesta, leaving after 22 years at Camp Nou.
The 34-year-old playmaker is departing at the end of the season, having played a crucial part in Barcelona’s successes over the past decade, winning La Liga nine times, the Champions League on four occasions and six Copa del Reys, among other trophies. Fans will create a stadium-wide display at the start of the game, labelling him “Infinite Iniesta”, with his No 8 placed sideways, to create the mathematical infinity symbol.
Barcelona will be presented with the La Liga trophy after the game and will celebrate with their supporters at the end of a season which has been impressive, but tarnished by early an Champions League elimination and letting their unbeaten run slip one game before the end, against Levante last weekend.
Coach Ernesto Valverde recently admitted it will be impossible to replace Iniesta in the team.
“Let’s not kid ourselves, Iniesta is a player that can’t be replaced. He is a player with characteristics which mean you can’t really think about anybody else doing something similar. That’s a fact,” Valverde said. “When you’ve got a player of that level who leaves a team you have to find other balances in the team, different ways.
“We know Barca has a very set style of football, it is very clear how we play, but what Iniesta gives you, you can’t get from any other player.”
Barcelona signed Philippe Coutinho in January from Liverpool and the Brazilian is expected to move into the Iniesta role on the left of midfield next season. Coutinho scored a hat-trick in the 5-4 defeat by Levante last weekend and is easing into life at Barcelona.
Meanwhile, second placed Atletico Madrid just need to avoid defeat against Eibar to stay ahead of neighbours and rivals Real Madrid.
Diego Simeone’s side are three points clear of Los Blancos, with an identical head to head record, so a point will ensure they stay ahead of Zinedine Zidane’s team, even if they beat Villarreal.
It could also be Antoine Griezmann’s final game as an Atletico player, with the France forward strongly linked with Barcelona in Spanish media. The weekend’s other fixtures are Celta Vigo v Levante, Leganes v Real Betis, Las Palmas v Girona, Malaga v Getafe, Sevilla v Alaves, Valencia v Deportivo La Coruna and Athletic Bilbao v Espanyol. – Dpa