Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta has admitted that he was heartbroken after seeing Lionel Messi and Co. succumb to an embarrassing defeat to Bayern Munich in the 2019-20 Champions League quarterfinals.
The Blaugrana were handed a historic 8-2 defeat in the COVID-enforced one-off quarterfinal clash with Bayern Munich in the 2019-20 Champions League. Despite David Alaba’s first half own goal and Luis Suarez’s second-half strike, Messi and co. fell to a heavy defeat.
Bayern had six individual goalscorers in Thomas Muller, Ivan Perisic, Serge Gnabry, Joshua Kimmich, Robert Lewandowski, and Philippe Coutinho. Muller and Coutinho bagged braces as Bayern registered one of their most cherished Champions League wins.
The likes of Messi, Gerard Pique and Sergio Busquets were part of the XI that endured the embarrassing loss. Iniesta, speaking to The Athletic, said that it was difficult to see his former teammates and beloved Barcelona suffer:
“You feel bad when you see teammates and your team suffer, when things are not going well,” the two-time treble-winning central midfielder said. You know that those inside suffer the most, but those of us outside suffer too, in a different way,” he added.
Iniesta also gave his verdict on Pique’s career as an entrepreneur. When it was revealed that the former Barcelona defender had long been juggling careers as a businessman and professional footballer, Iniesta chuckled and replied:
“If you can find that balance we were talking about, and one thing does not hamper the other… well, it is always welcome. “Although, the job of being an elite player demands that you focus practically everything on football. People can find a way to combine these things, but everyone has to know where the limits are.”
Pique hung up his boots before club football went on a recess for the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar. The former Spain international played 616 games for the Blaugrana across competitions, scoring 53 times.
Barcelona ordered to pay Matheus Fernandes €8.5 million for unfair dismissal of contract
La Liga leaders Barcelona have been instructed to pay €8.5 million to their former player Matheus Fernandes over the unjust termination of his contract, Cadena SER has reported.
The Blaugrana terminated Fernandes’ contract out of the blue after signing him on a five-year deal from Palmeiras for €10 million in January 2020. The player only played 17 minutes for Barcelona before his contract was terminated in July 2021.
The Brazilian took the Blaugrana to court and has now won the case. For wrongful termination of his contract, The club has been asked to pay him a hefty compensation of €8.5 million.