Spanish midfielder Andres Iniesta bid farewell to Japanese football on Saturday with a rare start for his team, Vissel Kobe. However, the title-chasing club had to settle for a 1-1 draw at home to Consadole Sapporo.
Iniesta, who joined Kobe from Barcelona in 2018, has struggled to secure playing time throughout the season. In fact, his appearance in this game only added 94 minutes to his total playing time after 18 matches.
But that didn’t dampen the spirit of the sell-out crowd of 30,000 at Noevir Stadium, as they organized a special display to honor Iniesta. The fans presented a tifo display depicting Iniesta wearing Kobe’s No. 8 jersey, accompanied by banners that read Gracias Andres.
In the match itself, Iniesta initially had a peripheral role as Sapporo took control and grabbed the lead in the 22nd minute. Supachok Sarachat of Thailand seized the opportunity to score from close range after Kobe’s goalkeeper, Daiya Maekawa, failed to deal with a cross from the right. By the time Matheus Thuler scored a late goal to salvage a point for Kobe, Iniesta was watching from the bench.
In the 56th minute, Iniesta left the field after taking off the captain’s armband, exchanging handshakes with teammates and coaching staff, and bowing to the fans, who gave him a standing ovation. This marked the end of his time in Japanese football, which has been a mixed experience over the past 5 and a half years.
I’m grateful for the love and respect the fans have shown me. I want to provide a situation they can enjoy and get excited about, Iniesta said in a pre-game interview. There was difficulty in not being picked to play after putting my heart into training. I’ve experienced a lot of things over these five years, which is a long time.
In addition to facing injuries, Iniesta was unable to help Kobe achieve its goal of becoming the top club in Asia. The highest league finish with Iniesta on the team was third place in 2021, with midtable performances in the other seasons. However, Iniesta did contribute to Kobe’s first-ever trophy, as the team won the Emperor’s Cup in 2019.
Kobe had the chance to move into first place with a victory over Sapporo in this match, but the draw means they remain in third position. As for Iniesta, his next destination has not yet been confirmed, but there are rumors linking him with clubs in Europe and South America.
In conclusion, Andres Iniesta bids farewell to Japanese football after a rare start for Vissel Kobe. Despite his limited playing time this season, he received a warm send-off from the fans and expressed his gratitude for their love and respect. While Kobe couldn’t achieve their goal of becoming the top club in Asia with Iniesta, he did help them win their first-ever trophy. It remains to be seen where Iniesta will go next, but his impact on Japanese football will be remembered.
