Andrés Iniesta

khaled_a_d

Senior Member
Alves you could make a case imo because the replacements were shit.

Iniesta and Xavi left at the perfect moment.

tbh Alves himself was shit at the end of his tenure when we were playing 4312 with Messi basically playing 2nd striker rather than RW, exposing the whole right side. Roberto actually was more than solid when Paulinho played at his side and covered for him in 17/18.
I honestly don't think Alves would have significantly change the outcome of any trophy if he stayed. He was more of a RM/RW when he left.
 

Bobo32

Senior Member
I am very serious

Xavi was great in his last year, played far too little then. But I guess it worked out that year, the year(s) after wasn't as great though... He's one year older than Zlatan and with a physique that should be less hampered by age. I think his time is up now though, not least because he stopped playing.
Alves mostly because the alternatives never were so great. I am sure he'd combine as well as before, put some brilliant crosses and passes, and still defend and run decently. He played 30 games in Brazil last season I see...
Iniesta got a little lazy in the last years, but 30min now and then would be useful in 2021 surely.

There always comes a time when you need to get rid of your stars, and the best time is often earlier than you'd think, but in the case of Barcelona, knowing the terrible replacements, I think these three players would've improved play still.
Though what does it matter, no way to prove it (or disprove it). The only thing to do is laugh...
 

Fati_Future_BallonDor

Well-known member
Imo Iniesta should have stayed, i think he would have been still good if he wouldnt had clowns next to him. Anyone remember the friendly match when his japan team played against barca and Iniesta outclassed our midfield? Alves is a difficult case, he was excllent in second half of juve season and even 2019 in copa america he was superior. As Finbarcelonafan said the replacements for him were trash so he could have been stayed here.
 

fergus90

Senior Member
I think both Xavi and Alves moved at appropriate time. Iniesta could have given us an extra year.

I can remember times in 14/15 where Xavi to me was performing better than Iniesta who suffered a bit of a dip in performances. However, it was probably the appropriate time to go given his age and going out with a treble.
 

Andresito

Senior Member
Staff member
Alves wasn't very good when he left. Roberto worked well as a stop gap and when the rest of the team were performing. Problems started to occur when he became undisputed and when others started declining.
Was another Amigo as well.

Xavi got the perfect ending. Could've been useful here and there but we won a treble without him starting, despite the impact he had on some games. It was time to keep building on what we had.

Iniesta was extremely inconsistent. World class no doubt, but he was world class once a month. Probably could have had a season like Xavi's last but Iniesta's impact would be lesser than Xavi 2015.
 

Alik

Moderator
Alves wasn't very good when he left no, but he proved later that it wasn't age related. He performed well after he left. He could have picked up his form had he stayed.

Xavi could have maybe made a difference had he stayed one more season. Or maybe not. However, from his perspective, he left at the perfect moment with the perfect goodbye.
 

Bobo32

Senior Member
It was a very nice goodbye for Xavi, but it would be even better if he left three years later after four CLs in a row ;)
Ask Porque he knows what it's about, engrams and parallel realities and so on.
 

Andresito

Senior Member
Staff member
My man not aging gracefully. Looks 50.

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