The Noevir Stadium Kobe has spent days with its capacity exhausted to say goodbye to what has been its best footballer that it has had in its 57 years of life
The former Barça player leaves after lifting the first two titles in the history of Vissel Kobe as captain, the Emperor’s Cup and the Japan Super Cup
Andrés Iniesta says goodbye to Japan this Saturday after five years and 39 days in which he has actively collaborated in the growth of a Vissel Kobe that this season is fighting to win what would be the first league title in its history. The former Barça player will say goodbye to this adventure in a Noevir Stadium Kobe, which has been sold out for days with its capacity of 30,132 spectators. Nobody wants to miss the last game of what has been the great captain of the team in the best stage of Vissel Kobe in his 57-year life. Since no one wanted to miss that tribute match that the club organized for him on June 6 against the club of his life, Barça. The Consadole Sapporo will be the stone guest of an unprecedented tribute.
The midfielder from La Mancha was very excited this Friday. Speaking to NHK public television, he acknowledged that “I will be invaded by many feelings. I will have mixed feelings of sadness and joy, but I want to focus as much as possible on the game.” Iniesta only had good words for Vissel Kobe: “He has given me so much that I cannot express it in words of gratitude and I want to convey that gratitude through my game. I hope to give the maximum that I can give so that the match is a worthy end“.
At 39, Iniesta declined the renewal offer presented to him by Vissel Kobe, having lost the prominence that he believes he can still find elsewhere. The ex-Blaugrana wants to continue playing until 2024, when he will have already turned 40, and he reached an agreement with the club to terminate it this summer, six months before its conclusion, to facilitate his decision for the future. The agreement includes the possibility of remaining linked to Vissel Kobe once he hangs up his boots.
After this Saturday’s meeting, Iniesta will return to Spain to enjoy a few days of vacation before Analyze the offers you have from Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, the United States and Argentinawhere his former teammate Diego Milito would be delighted to recruit him for his Argentinos Júniors.
Iniesta leaves behind a legacy that makes him a the best footballer in the history of the club. It arrived on May 24, 2018 and In 2019 he already lifted the first title in the history of the entity, the Emperor Cup, as captain. after defeating the Kashima Antlers in the final (2-0). The man from La Mancha helped reach that final by scoring a goal in the semifinals against Shimizu S-Pulse (3-1).
A year later he would lift the Japan Super Cup -the second title in the club’s history-, after beating Yokohama Marinos in the final in the penalty shootout (5-6) after the 3-3 final. That same year he commanded Vissel Kobe until the semifinals of the Champions League. It was the first time in its history that the ‘cows’ played an international competition and were one step away from the final. In good part, because Iniesta missed the semifinal match against Ulsan Hyundai from South Korea (2-1) due to injury.
In five years, Iniesta has completed 134 games in which he has scored 26 goals and distributed 26 assists. In 2019 he was part of the best eleven in the League.