Player Grades for 2016-17: Andrés Iniesta

Andrés Iniesta started to show his age this season, but he still showed how integral he is to the team.

Statistics

Appearances 37, Goals 1, Assists 4.

These figures aren’t impressive, but this has never been a major part of his game. He often excels at getting the assist of the assist which doesn’t show up in basic statistics. His sole goal came in the 7-0 drubbing of Celtic earlier in the season.

Each of his four assists came at key times in the various matches, though. He assisted Ivan Rakitić’s goal in the draw against Atlético Madrid, the first goal in the 4-1 win against Espanyol, the second goal in the 4-0 win against Manchester City, and the first goal against Celta Vigo which nearly sparked a miraculous comeback in the 4-3 loss.

The second goal against PSG, in the 6-1 win, was also down to him as he forced Layvin Kurzawa into a mistake, but he isn’t officially credited with the assist.

Role

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Iniesta was tasked with helping control the midfield as well as supporting attacks through his excellent range of passing and his mesmeric ability to beat people in 1v1’s through ‘simple’ shifts of body movement. His understanding with Sergio Busquets and Lionel Messi was key in determining how successful the team was. They form part of the experienced spine of the team, and allow the Catalans to progress up the pitch. Without Iniesta, the team struggles to break through the opposition lines, which limits the service to the front three and means Messi has to drop increasingly deeper.

Therefore, without him they aren’t as fluid in an attacking sense. This balance that he brings to the team allows other key players to focus on their roles, so they generally play better. He always provides an option for the player on the ball, and his ability to keep the ball in the tightest of spaces is an invaluable asset for the team due to the space that it opens up for other players.

Issues

The major issue for Iniesta is something which is completely out of his control: his age. He is starting to lose the battle against ‘Father Time’, which every athlete inevitably ends up doing. This has led to him having consistency issues throughout the season because of the sheer amount of games that Barça have to play.

This also meant he tailed off in big games such as the second leg against PSG because he couldn’t keep up the necessary intensity. The board needs to consider bringing in someone who can replace his unique skill set, so that they can learn from him while he is still playing there.

Ernesto Valverde needs to carefully manage his game-time in a similar manner to the way Luis Enrique did with Xavi. This will get the best out of him for the remainder of his time at Barça. It would allow him to dominate big games by giving him the necessary time to rest.

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Conclusion

This definitely wasn’t his best season, but he showed glimpses of his quality such as in the second El Clásico. His age is starting to catch up with him, and his role in the team is reducing. However, he is still an important asset.

If Valverde is smart with how he uses the little magician, we could see a final flourish to end what has been an amazing career. This all depends on whether Iniesta decides to extend his contract past 2018 and stay more than one year under Valverde. Regardless, he has been an excellent servant for the club, and he can still dominate the biggest games.