The Negreira case has called into question the successes achieved by Barcelona throughout this century, coinciding with its most splendid era. Andrés Iniesta, one of the great protagonists of that golden era, defends tooth and nail that the Blaugrana club “has never bought any referee.” “I am totally convinced”, assured the midfielder from La Mancha in an interview with RAC1.
The current Japanese Vissel Kobe footballer made it clear that during the period he wore the Catalan club’s shirt (2002-18) he never saw or heard “nothing strange” about it. “The information is notorious and I understand that they are looking at what happened and what didn’t. We’ll see what happens. We’re talking about very important things.”
Regarding the sporting performance of his ex-teammate Xavi Hernández’s team, Iniesta considers that the victory in the classic has helped the Catalans to obtain “the considerable distance to be able to win the League”. In any case, Iniesta does not take the blaugrana title for granted. “Until it is mathematical, it is not final and you have to win until the end, but they are willing to do it,” insisted the midfielder.
The man from La Mancha stressed that the evolution of the Barça team has been “spectacular” since Xavi’s arrival on the bench. “He has prepared a lot to live this moment, he has clear ideas, he knows what he wants and how he wants it and what the place he occupies means,” he said. In any case, Iniesta is confident that the Catalans “can win the (LaLiga) title this season and be able to fight “for everything” in the next.
On the sometimes questioned style, he believes that the idea “is to want to play well, press and have control of the game”, although he understands that “sometimes what one proposes in matches cannot happen”. “But the way of doing things is non-negotiable.”
Regarding his plans for the future, Iniesta, who at 38 is still active in the ranks of Japanese Vissel Kobe, assures that the benches “are far away” because he continues to see himself as a footballer, although he warns: “I have always said that I would like to train as a coach.”
