Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta conference that he would be leaving Europe

"The Spanish midfielder, who has made 639 appearances for Barça, ranks second on the all-time games played list at the Club. He has scored 55 goals for the first team, for which he debuted on October 29th, 2002.

"Since 2015 Iniesta has been the team's first captain, and is one of the Club's most distinguished symbols. The 33-year-old midfielder joined the Club in September 1996, at the age of 12. Iniesta and Leo Messi share the record for the most titles in Barça history, with 32:bounce:."

Struggling to hold back the tears, Iniesta said: “I understand that in the near future I will not be able to give the best of myself in all senses, both physically and mentally.


Iniesta decided to leave Barcelona after 22 seasons with the club, winning an extraordinary nine La Liga titles and lifting the UEFA Champions League trophy four times. two European Championships, He also won the 2010 World Cup with Spain in 2010.


It was widely reported across Spain that the FIFA World Cup winner would be heading to China to join Chongqing on a three-year deal, worth €81 million (A$129 million).

However, Barcelona sports website Sport is reporting that Australia, along with Japan, are 'tempting' Iniesta.

"The lack of an agreement with Chongqing has led Iniesta to study new horizons with Australia as the preferred destination," journalist Jordi Gil writes.



Where do you want Andres Iniesta to go?

 

The report continues to state that Australia's great way of life would see his family find "tranquility".

Australia has proved a destination for some of football elite over the years with Dwight Yorke, Alessandro Del Piero and David Villa enjoying stints in the A-League since it's inception.

 

The Spaniard Andrés Iniesta joined Vissel Kobe of Japan, as announced at a press conference held in Tokyo with the participation of two hundred journalists.
Iniesta, 34 years old and with 32 titles won at Barça, besides being world champion and twice from Europe with Spain, will be from now on the reference player of Vissel Kobe and one of the top attractions of the J -League.

 

Andrés Iniesta playing for Vissel Kobe.
“In a normal year Kobe sells 150,000 merchandise items but in the two weeks after Iniesta arrived in July we sold 50,000,” Masayuki Morii, Kobe’s business manager, says. “We didn’t have enough time to produce more but next year we will be ready. We want Kobe to become a big team.”

The target is the Japanese title in 2019 and the Asian Champions League a year later. “In the past we were around eighth but at least this year we have to be in the top three,” Morii adds.

 

A big hug~~~