The Spanish midfielder also faced Liga MX clubs on several occasions during his extensive career. Photo: Jovani Pérez
The world of football is in a moment of potential decline after Andrés Iniesta will announce his official retirement as a professional at the age of 40. With a career full of successes and being considered one of the most iconic players in the history of sports, the ‘Fantasmita’ is leaving an indelible mark on FC Barcelona and the Spanish team.
Throughout his outstanding career, full of championships, individual awards and victories, as well as moments of sadness, Andrés Iniesta had the opportunity to face five Mexican soccer teams, each of those matches being with the Barcelona shirt. However, it is worth highlighting that on only one occasion did they lose against a Liga MX team.
Although there were five Aztec clubs he faced, Iniesta faced Mexican teams on six occasions, having faced the Águilas del América twice.
FILE – Spanish midfielder Andrés Iniesta raises the World Cup trophy after the victory against the Netherlands in the final, on July 11, 2010, in Johannesburg. (AP Photo/Bernat Armangue)
Next, we leave the matches in which the ‘manchego’ faced Mexican teams:
The first time that Iniesta faced an “Aztec” team was in a friendly match against the Tigres de la UANL, all on the occasion of the centenary of CEMEX, the company that manages the feline team. Without “saving the arsenal”, Rijkaard took to the ‘volcano’ field with a large part of his culés stars, having Andrés in the starting line-up.
After completing the 2006 World Cup in Germany, Barcelona appeared in the United States to face part of its preseason. That was when they agreed to a friendly match against the Águilas del América in Houston. After several emotions, the duel ended tied at 4 points; match in which the ‘Fantasmita’ (22 years old) started and played the entire first half.
Just a few months after that friendly duel, Blaugranas and Azulcremas saw each other again; although on this occasion within the semi-final of the 2006 Japan Club World Cup. In that match, Iniesta played the full 90 minutes and was the architect of the first goal after assisting Gudjohnsen.
In a dream year for Barcelona, ’Don Andrés’ faced an Aztec football team for the second time in an official duel. It was during the semifinals of the Club World Cup in Abu Dhabi when the Blaugrana team faced the Colts of Iron of Atlante, their penultimate obstacle to conquering the historic and remembered Sextete.
The native of Albacete started the match as a starter and came off as a substitute in the 76th minute to bring on Bojan. The match ended 3-1 in favor of the Catalans.
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Subsequently, there was the only setback that ‘Fantasmita’ had against a Liga MX team. It was during a tour of the United States, prior to the start of the 2011-2012 season, when Barcelona succumbed surprisingly 4-1 to Chivas Rayadas de Guadalajara and Marco Fabián had a dream night after scoring a double with scissors goal included. In that match, Iniesta came on as a substitute for the start of the second half.
The last one with the Blaugrana shirt was against the “Panzas Verdes” of León in the friendly trophy, Joan Gamper, based in Barcelona. That match culminated with a resounding 6-0 win in favor of the “Culés” and with a culé team that started with its stars, including Iniesta, who came off as a substitute for the second half.
Joan Gamper 2014, Barcelona vs León 2014. Photo: FCBarcelona.es
