₦airaland Forum

airmark:
No sensible Iniesta fan will try to bring him near Lampard.

You don't wanna start this. Do you?

10. 2018: THE INIESTA FINAL

Iniesta had not yet confirmed he would be leaving Barca at the end of 2017-18, but he made sure to provide the perfect curtain call anyway.

Having played a reduced role for much of the season, Iniesta seemed to have been saving himself for a last hurrah: the Copa del Rey final against Sevilla.

Although nearly 34, he looked at the peak of his powers, dictating the game at his own tempo as Barca cantered to a 5-0 win.

He even scored the goal of the game - exchanging passes with Messi, dummying the keeper and firing home - before yet another ovation serenaded his teary-eyed exit from the last major final he would play for the club he joined as a 12-year-old.

Iniesta @ 34 won the DOUBLE

9. 2015: THE SANTIAGO BERNABEU STANDS AS ONE

Iniesta is one of the few Spanish players who is generally admired throughout rival fan bases and territories - even among Real Madrid supporters

In the Clasico of November 2015, Barca destroyed Madrid on home turf with a 4-0 victory in which Iniesta set up Neymar for a goal and scored a stunner himself.

Such was the supremacy of Iniesta that day - with Lionel Messi out injured - that the Bernabeu gave him a standing ovation as he left the pitch in the 77th minute. Only two other Barca players had ever been accorded such an honour: Ronaldinho, and Diego Maradona.

NB: Xavi was NEVER given a standing ovation by Madrid fans in his 17 years stay.

8. 2015: CHAMPIONS LEAGUE HISTORY

Another former Barca player in his first season as head coach, another treble, and another Iniesta assist on a big stage.

Luis Enrique's Barca took the lead against Juventus in Berlin through Ivan Rakitic after four minutes, as Iniesta became the first player to assist a goal in three different Champions League finals.

Alvaro Morata equalised but Luis Suarez and Neymar secured a 3-1 victory, as Iniesta claimed another man-of-the-match prize in a major final.

7. 2012: THE BEST IN EUROPE

Iniesta was part of the Spain side that won Euro 2008 under Luis Aragones before Vicente del Bosque led them to World Cup glory. 

Two years later, one of the great modern eras of international football was secured as they defended their continental crown, dispatching Italy 4-0 in the final in Kiev.

Del Bosque's team comprised six midfielders and no strikers, a remarkable line-up that represented the zenith of tiki-taka football, where technical mastery of pass-and-move play trumped all else and the classic number nine was rendered obsolete. 

Iniesta was named man of the match, player of the tournament, and crowned UEFA's Best Player in Europe later that year.

6. 2011: A WORLD RUN BY MIDFIELDERS

At the 2011 Club World Cup, Barca went into the final against Santos with David Villa injured and Pedro on the bench. Guardiola's solution? Let's midfield them to death.

Xavi, Busquets, Iniesta, Cesc Fabregas and Thiago Alcantara (oh, and Dani Alves) all lined up behind Lionel Messi in a 3-4-3. It gave Barca a grip on the game that never loosened.

Messi (twice), Xavi and Fabregas scored in a 4-0 win in which Barca had 71 per cent possession and a young Neymar was given a glimpse of his future. Iniesta, the beating heart of the side, described the performance as "unique... it was something to remember and enjoy".

5 2011: UNITED BACK ON THE CAROUSEL

Alex Ferguson famously compared facing a midfield of Xavi and Iniesta to being stuck on a carousel after Barca beat United 2-0 in the 2009 Champions League final.

Two years later, Guardiola's men led the Red Devils on an even dizzier dance, winning 3-1 at Wembley to secure another European triumph. Such was Xavi, Busquets and Iniesta's control over events that even Ferguson could find no complaints over the scoreline.

"They do mesmerise you with the way they pass it," he said. "I would say they're the best team we've faced.

Everyone acknowledges that and I accept that. It's not easy when you've been well beaten like that to think another way. 
No one has given us a hiding like that. It's a great moment for them."

4. 2010: A CLASICO FOR THE AGES

Guardiola's Barca reached their peak in 2010-11 and arguably their greatest performance came in November 2010 against Real Madrid.

Jose Mourinho's first taste of the Clasico as Madrid coach ended in a 5-0 battering at Camp Nou in which Iniesta, Xavi and Sergio Busquets utterly dominated proceedings.

He was not among the goals - Xavi (from Iniesta's pass), Pedro, David Villa (twice) and Jeffren were on the scoresheet - but Iniesta's display underlined his position as one of the world's best midfielders in the finest team on the planet.

3. 2010: WORLD CUP GLORY

Iniesta recalled his winning goal in extra time of the 2010 World Cup final as a moment of clarity, when it seemed as though the world drifted into slow motion.

That feeling of calm was a far cry from the year leading up to the tournament, in which the player struggled badly with mental and emotional concerns despite his success on the pitch. "It was like nothing was right," he recalled in his book, The Artist: Being Iniesta.

The loss of his friend Dani Jarque in 2009 - the Espanyol defender who died at just 26 years old - had deeply affected Iniesta, and it was only fitting he celebrated securing Spain's first World Cup by pulling off his shirt to reveal a message beneath reading: "Dani Jarque, always with us."

2. 2009: INIESTA AT STAMFORD BRIDGE

Chelsea fans might remember this Champions League semi-final second leg for a string of questionable refereeing decisions, but there is one moment that will forever stay with Barca fans.

The Catalans were moments from going out to a Michael Essien strike, but Iniesta's thumping effort from outside the box in the third minute of injury time sent them through on away goals.

Barca went on to beat Manchester United in the final and win the treble in Pep Guardiola's first season in charge. Iniesta's goal made it all possible.

1. 2006: FINAL SUPER-SUB

Iniesta later admitted his "blood was boiling" when he learned he was on the bench for the 2006 Champions League final against Arsenal.

With Barca 1-0 down at half-time, Frank Rijkaard moved to rectify that error by introducing the midfielder for Edmilson. It proved pivotal.

Fellow subs Henrik Larsson and Juliano Belletti, along with Samuel Eto'o, might have provided the telling touches to secure a 2-1 victory, but it was Iniesta's arrival that catalysed the comeback.

Future team-mate Thierry Henry, who was in that Arsenal side, recalled: "The person who really killed me was Andres. When he comes on, everything changes."

NB: Xavi dropped Zero goal and 1 assist in the whole 2005/06 La liga and UCL season

Ibime:
when the same player has been this sluggish for over a decade.

That's true. Example is Xavi.

thorrvik55:
When opening Lampard's account, don't forget to carry a Barca midfielder with better output than him along

They are plenty, especially when we talk about how he led his NT to the beach while others teams were playing Euro 2008

kendrick93:
the whole team was poor so to single out iniesta is wrong. Football goes in cycles anyway, that spanish team had won virtually everything at that point so it was only natural the only way was down considering the age of the team as well. No team rules for ever. All in all iniesta was a superb player, truely held in high regard by the spanish fans & neutrals, hell he gets standing ovations at all the la liga grounds he attends. Not many players have held that kind of regard. Nothing anyone says here or agenda can diminish his lengendary status

Don't mind Ibime. I'm sure if it was Xavi that scored that 2009 match against Chelsea, he would have be the worst midfielder in Barca's history according to Ibime.

We will soon open Lampard's fraudulent account.

Ibime:
There was no midfield in 2015, only MSN

See you... Anything to discredit Iniesta sha...

Your conspiracy against Iniesta is a pure scam.

Ibime:
Yes. They were all carryalong to Ronaldinho, Eto, Deco and co who were the ones winning the awards.

2008 is the year when they all started winning individual awards so there is no need talking about the inconsequential. We came to discuss their greatness and their greatness pertains to 2008 onward. There is no need me discussing Drogba or Kantes career before they hit 25.

Stop that yeye talk. Xavi was a 'tag-along' for 10 years and you say we should ignore it. He was already 28 and about to be kicked out of Barca. He should thank Iniesta for rescuing his career.

Trevor012:
Out of Xavi 4 champions tittles, he was a carryalong in two

You can NEVER say that for Iniesta.

4 of Barca's UCL win, Iniesta influenced them all.

Ibime:
Nobody is trying to credit 2006 victory to Xavi [s]unlike Iniesta fanbois doing attaché to glory that he was not consequential to.[/s]

[s]We done already gree that Xavi became the architect of the system in 2008. We are not interested in crediting Xavi with Ronaldinho or Decos work unlike the fraudster Iniesta who goes around claiming credit for other people's labour, trying to reap where he did not sow.[/s]

So you finally agree that Xavi was a carry-bag in 10 years at Barcelona including dropping zero goals and one assist in the whole 2005/06 la liga and UCL win.

The rest are unnecessary. Thank you.

Xavi at 26 in our la liga and UCL success had ZERO goals and 1 assist in the whole 2005/06 season.

Ibime, your conspiracy won't sell anymore. Stop leading people astray.

Ibime:
3 GA in the league in 2017 and 4 GA in the league in 2006

Stop leading people astray

Young Iniesta dropped 4GA in the league in 2006

26 years old Xavi dropped ZERO goal and just 1 assist in the league in 2006.

But we should praise Xavi at the expense of Iniesta. Your propaganda won't sell.

airmark:


No goal No assist in 365 days in laliga. Who are you sending your $100 to as escrow?

You don change mouth. You didn't mention La liga earlier. Who cares about that when Baba dey do this for UCL same season

https://j.gifs.com/r2R0zE.gif

airmark:
And you ran away even when many quoted you.

Is it on Betfair or Bet365?

Na you I wan make labrat ni. Iniesta had zero goals and assists in a year. Oya make we bet na.

Ibime:
Yeah, we know how Iniesta won after Xavi left, going a full calendar year with zero goal and zero assist.

We should credit the Spanish Kovacic for MSN work

You people should fear God.

Was there MSN in 2006 or 2017 that helped Iniesta win UCL and La liga respectively without Xavi?

Stop leading your people astray

airmark:
Debroslink don japa.

You must have been shocked that Iniesta went 365 days without a goal or an assist. Too bad.

I said you should stake $100 to back up your claim.

donstan18:
Inesta-Xavi midfielder was a real one and actually not a lie. The success of that midfield was due to their contributions, not one sided.

Both needed each other. They excelled because they played together. Xavi calms the midfield down with his passes and game reading skills, while Inesta refines the attacking settings with his skills, moves, ability to spin, control and moving the ball around. You can’t credit one and discredit one. Never!!

Xavi was very useless before Inesta and Inesta ended up useless after Xavi left. They were individually useless, unproductive, incompetent and ineffective in that midfield. None could operate alone.

Thanks to their stars Lampard and Gerard didn’t play club football in the same team.

Iniesta still won La liga after Xavi left. Iniesta won UCL without Xavi beside him.

Someone should tell us the UCL Xavi won without Iniesta

izzou:
Iniesta went through a year without a goal or assist,

Coild you put your money where your mouth is?

Let's do a quick one $100

hensben:
As at then iniesta was still a squad player like xavi. But then again, xavi didn’t peak on time for Barca, I think he peaked almost in his mid 20s.

Xavi had been playing 1st team football since Rivaldo's era. Una go dey yab Havertz and Mount, but we should praise Xavi for being a bench warmer for Spain at age 24.

Xavi that was almost offloaded to Bayern before Guardiola stopped the move. That's how surplus to requirement he was then.

Xavi should be eternally grateful to Iniesta.

hensben:
So you mean to tell me iniesta was influential to 2006 win. Both were good and needed each other. They complimented each other to become great.

It's a lie. It's Xavi who had less influence in 10 years before Iniesta became a 1st team player. Go watch that 2006 final very well. Arsenal packed the bus, but Iniesta came in to destroy that bus with a killer pass. Xavi didn't play a single minute.

Iniesta won the Treble with Rakitic beside him and Xavi playing far less minutes.

I ask again... Where is Xavi's UCL win without Iniesta beside him?

We all saw Iniesta @ 22 win the 2006 UCL on the field without Xavi playing a single minute.

Ibime should show us the UCL Xavi won without Iniesta beside him in his 17 years stay in Barca.

Football isn't about 100 passes. It's about impact.

BlueAngel444:
go on, write it and post it to Ibrahimovic, I am sure the zlatan does not give a fvck about your opinion. But you're welcome to try

You don dey take am personal

BlueAngel444:
So before 2008, Xavi the 28year old and Iniesta the 24year old achieved nothing, were waste pipes still a miracle happened and suddenly these two middle aged men became the dynamic dual.

No wonder ibrahimovic said if Lampard and Gerrard played in the same thing, people would pay little attention to Xavi and iniesta. Both those two use pass to kill the morale of teams sha , they go use you play middle man for real 90min match. In an era of running and crossing.

Kindly note that both Xavi and Iniesta were multiple La liga winners and UCL winners before 2008. Don't ever compare them with Lampard and Gerrard who were losers in their NT

Ibime:
When did Iniesta become a star? Is it not after 2008, when Xavi had already become a star and the best player in Euro 2008.

Iniesta was never a star before Xavi, just an Isco.

If you can name one individual award of note Iniesta won before 2008, I will send you $100 tomorrow.

Iniesta is a leach of Xavis midfield dominance.

When an AM cannot compete with his fellow AMs and is dragging productivity stats with defenders, he will leave his fellow AMs and be trying to steal shine from his teammates who made him what he is in football

Show us Xavi's midfield dominance in 10 years (1998 - 2007) or hold your peace.

Iniesta made Xavi EOD