Jordi Alba celebrates after scoring a goal during the match between FC Barcelona vs CA Osasuna at the Spotify Camp Nou stadium in Barcelona on May 2, 2023. (Photo by Adria Puig/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images)
Jordi Alba set to leave Barcelona
Sergio Busquets hands the captains armband to Jordi Alba during the match between FC Barcelona and Real Sociedad at Spotify Camp Nou on May 20, 2023 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)
Sergio Busquets is not the only Barcelona legend who will bid farewell to the Camp Nou faithful on Sunday.
He will be joined by another longtime stalwart as Jordi Alba has announced he too will be leaving the Catalan side at the end of the season.
The news broke earlier today before both Barcelona and Alba made the news official with the left-back posting a video on his Twitter page announcing his departure.
https://twitter.com/JordiAlba/status/1661344670243336193
“FC Barcelona would like to publicly express it’s gratitude to Alba for his professionalism, commitment and dedication, and his ever-positive and friendly relationship with all member of the Barça family, and wishes him every fortune in the future,” the club wrote in a statement. “Barça will always be a home for you, Jordi.”
Alba had a year left on his contract but reached an agreement with Barcelona to end their relationship a season sooner.
His departure should help Barcelona in terms of wages as Alba has agreed to forgive a significant percentage of wages owed.
https://twitter.com/barcacentre/status/1661355719097044995
The 34-year-old was formed in La Masia but left for Valencia where he solidified himself at the left-back position. He returned to Barcelona ahead of the 2012/2013 season and the rest, as they say, is history.
In his time with Barcelona, he’s amassed 19 trophies and formed an incredible tandem with Lionel Messi, combining his runs down the left with the Argentine’s vision, it led to many goals and successes for the team.
Along with Busquets, they made their respective positions their own and their success at club level translated over to the national team.
However, like with Busquets, every chapter must come to a close.
Alba’s performances have been on the wane recently and has seen his playing time severely diminished with the emergence of Alejandro Balde. But Alba hasn’t complained, instead taking advantage of when he has played and serving as a mentor to Balde and the other young players on the team.
Sergi Roberto and Marc-Andre ter Stegen will be the lone players left from the side that won the Champions League in 2015. With Busquets and Alba leaving, it truly is the end of an era.
