I never said that had nothing to do with it - Euro 2012 probably did affect his 12/13 season quite a lot, but it seemed it wasn't only that & he really did not play as well as he should have, Euros considered. One thing is for sure, though, & that is that Barca will have to manage him carefully from now on so that he can play when a player of that quality is needed - basically, a lesser degree of what we do with Rio.
Iniesta - Is there another? | Announces retirement
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I never said that had nothing to do with it - Euro 2012 probably did affect his 12/13 season quite a lot, but it seemed it wasn't only that & he really did not play as well as he should have, Euros considered. One thing is for sure, though, & that is that Barca will have to manage him carefully from now on so that he can play when a player of that quality is needed - basically, a lesser degree of what we do with Rio.
Bad news guys.
He's extended his contract at Barca
He's extended his contract at Barca
So he's not gonna come and do it on a cold windy night in Stoke? Paint me surprised!Bad news guys.
He's extended his contract at Barca
Bad news guys.
He's extended his contract at Barca
Were you expecting something else?
Not playing today due to personal reasons. I can't really find official confirmation on what's being floating about, but if it the case, then absolutely horrible news for him and his wife
Not playing today due to personal reasons. I can't really find official confirmation on what's being floating about, but if it the case, then absolutely horrible news for him and his wife
Was she pregnant ?
Apparently so.
Not playing today due to personal reasons. I can't really find official confirmation on what's being floating about, but if it the case, then absolutely horrible news for him and his wife
Read somewhere last night that his wife had a miscarriage. Terrible news.
edit: Ah, I see it's been mentioned in the La Liga thread on here already.
This guy
Next to Messi the best player on the pitch. His dribbling at times is just unstoppable, well unless you run over and just stick your foot in, well done Alonso, well done, you showed him.
I think Iniesta is maybe the best big game player I've ever seen.
I wonder if there's a better player to watch in world football? Messi is ruthlessly efficient, but Iniesta has a grace about him, that I find more enjoyable to watch. His close control in tight areas trumps even Messi for me. He's balletic.
Only true big game player who compares is none other than the legendary Zizou.
My favorite non-United player of this era.
Majestic and the funny thing with him is that you know he's going to have a cracking game from his first few ball controls and passes. He was up for it last night and he was dangerous, he should be like that more often, be willing to take shots.
He does take shots but his shooting is simply not on the same level as the rest of his game. Otherwise he'd be equal to Messi and Ronaldo IMO.
Interesting.
This. Exactly this. I'd rather watch a really top performance from Iniesta than either of "the other two".
Although I prefer watching Messi to Ronaldo, for similar reasons. There's an effortless sort of elegance to the football of Messi and Iniesta that you don't see in battering rams like Ronaldo or Ibra.
Viva the little guy(s).
I weirdly don't enjoy watching Messi as much as I should because of the fact that he's left footed. It just looks bizarre seeing him do the things he does with his left foot when I can barely kick the ball forward five yards with mine.
Iniesta though...
I weirdly don't enjoy watching Messi as much as I should because of the fact that he's left footed. It just looks bizarre seeing him do the things he does with his left foot when I can barely kick the ball forward five yards with mine.
Iniesta though...
Jaysus, that's definitely bizarre!
My left leg is barely capable of holding me upright but I've never held that against a footballer, so to speak. Although it might explain my "be nice to Tony V" crusade, now you mention it...
Ibra has more elegance than Ronaldo though.
True. Ronaldo's a very "un-aesthetic" footballer, for some reason. Almost seems awkward sometimes. Which is weird, when you think how bloody good he is. A triumph of efficiency over art. Or summat...
Its more the fact he lacks the same killer instinct to want to take shots and be the main man, this will always hold him back from being a Messi/Ronaldo type of player, on the other hand, it works for him in that he is a selfless individual who truly enjoys taking part in the running of the game.. and he sure can run a game. His personality is also what makes him revered by all football fans, it really is hard to find anyone with a bad word to say about him.
No, there is none more elegant than Iniesta, the distilled essence of Barca's philosophy of play. Messi is indeed the "nuclear fly" and a better player than Iniesta, many others also thumb Iniesta in terms of end product. But his sheer poise, and penchant for almost always turning up for the crunch games make him my personal favourite.
Agreed. Extremely rare for him to go missing in a big game, for either Barca or Spain.
Its more the fact he doesn't really keep the ball glued to his feet in these tight games, whereas we're used to the greats of the past.. coming into their own in terms of finding space and controlling/running with the ball effortlessly. He's explosive, but he's not a silky dribbler... the tricks don't really come off for him like they did with Ronaldinho. It has the air of someone trying too hard to look flashy rather than trying to think of a way of confusing the opposition. When he first broke through I thought he was quite silky, but over the entirety of his career.. I don't think he's astonished me in terms of his ability to bamboozle defenders. But then again we may just be super critical because we are comparing him to the likes of Messi and Iniesta who are unreal on the close control dribbling front.
Iniesta is my favourite player when it comes to running with the ball and his control, Messi is my favourite dribbler and forward.
Iniesta there's never going to be another, just as there is never going to be another Zidane, makes you appreciate these players more, there will be a "next great" with their own individual style like this, but never another like Iniesta.
Iniesta there's never going to be another, just as there is never going to be another Zidane, makes you appreciate these players more, there will be a "next great" with their own individual style like this, but never another like Iniesta.
One of my favourite players from this generation. He has/had a tendency to go down easily, but that aside, he's just a lovely player watch. From a stylistic point of view, I can't think of a better football in this generation.
He is the palest Spaniard ever, he is clearly Irish.
Have you ever been to spain? not all go out in the sun.
My favourite non-United player of all time. Basically any game he's involved in is automatically worth watching for his elegance and intelligence. Add in the fact that he actually seems to perform better in big games and you have one of the true greats. If he'd been playing in a different era he'd have won the Ballon d'Or a few times by now. For example, I can't think of any player from the 90's I'd take over him if I had to pick a team to play for my life.
Unlucky to be playing at the same time as Messi and Ronaldo and is probably further overshadowed by his partnership with Xavi. The two of them will always be regarded as a pair rather than as individual greats. Would love to see Iniesta move to another top European team for a few years to show what he can do away from Barca.
Also, if Spain win the World Cup you can pretty much guarantee he'll have been their player of the tournament.
Unlucky to be playing at the same time as Messi and Ronaldo and is probably further overshadowed by his partnership with Xavi. The two of them will always be regarded as a pair rather than as individual greats. Would love to see Iniesta move to another top European team for a few years to show what he can do away from Barca.
Also, if Spain win the World Cup you can pretty much guarantee he'll have been their player of the tournament.
It's difficult to say if Ronaldo or Messi weren't playing because there's strikers out there that might get the nod, but he is one of the greatest midfielders of this generation, he will always go down in the history books for winning Spains first world cup, and nothing will ever take that away from him.
Yes, there's another. We had him in our academy but unfortunately lost him. No one resembles this diminutive genius more than Mats moller Daehli, he is really the second coming of this football great. With the right development I have no doubt he could be as good, or at least close.
No white text?
Funny, it's always the goal v Chelsea that sticks out in my mind rather than the WC one. I remember watching as the clock was ticking away thinking they desperately needed one of their big players to step up and, as always, Iniesta did. Que a silent moment of stunned appreciation.
Probably Barca's most impressive player over the two finals against United too (as I recall).
The volley yes was important, especially at Stamford Bridge, but it's not as vital as a world-cup winning goal for a country who has never won it, that is something where when Barcelona teams talk in future about iconic players who came through the academy, or aspiring Spanish midfielders, they will think of being an Iniesta or a Xavi and they will see how finely balanced that team was.
Sorry but Ronaldo(Brazilian) over him everyday.
Nah, in a life or death scenario I'd back Iniesta to step up more than Ronaldo. To be fair, I probably underrate Ronaldo because all those injuries give a vague sense of wasted potential, despite how good he actually was. If he'd had C. Ronaldo's luck with injuries he could achieved so much more...
To be honest, a lot of people overrate fat Ronaldo based on what could have been.
Iniesta disappointed me last season. With Messi injured, that was his opportunity to seize the moment. Yet he and the team required a half fit Messi to squeak past PSG, before getting steam rolled by Barcelona. I can't say he has been overall better for Barcelona than Xavi and Messi, and for Spain the most important player by far has been Xavi during their incredible run. Iniesta delivered the goods at times, but so has Fabregas, Villa, Torres...
So yeah, incredible player, he was fantastic yesterday. I think he gets an easier ride from critics because of his silks.
Iniesta disappointed me last season. With Messi injured, that was his opportunity to seize the moment. Yet he and the team required a half fit Messi to squeak past PSG, before getting steam rolled by Barcelona. I can't say he has been overall better for Barcelona than Xavi and Messi, and for Spain the most important player by far has been Xavi during their incredible run. Iniesta delivered the goods at times, but so has Fabregas, Villa, Torres...
So yeah, incredible player, he was fantastic yesterday. I think he gets an easier ride from critics because of his silks.
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It's not 100% to do with his "injuries" either, he also partied too much (so did Ronaldinho) so his potential was wasted he wasn't fit most of the time... if he like C Ronaldo didn't drink alcohol, and also worked hard, didn't get injured... Ronaldo (brazilian) would have been up there with Pele.