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Tag: Jordi Alba

  • Ex-Barcelona Alba set for retirement

    Ex-Barcelona Alba set for retirement

    Spain and Barcelona defender Jordi Alba will retire from football at the end of the Major League Soccer (MLS) season, the Inter Miami player  has said.

    Alba began his youth career at Barcelona, who released him for being too small, but was re-signed in 2012 from Valencia for 14 million euros ($16.34 million) and went on to spend 11 seasons at the Catalan club.

    He joined Inter Miami in 2023, linking up with former teammates Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Luis Suarez, while another former Barca colleague, Javier Mascherano, is the current head coach.

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    “The time has come to close a truly meaningful chapter in my life,” Alba said in a video posted on Instagram.

    “I’ve decided to bring my professional football career to an end at the conclusion to this season. I do so with complete conviction, with peace, and with happiness.

    The 36-year-old retired from international football in 2023 after making 93 appearances for Spain and was part of the Euro 2012 winning team where he scored in the 4-0 victory over Italy in the final.

    Alba won six LaLiga titles at Barcelona, and the Champions League along with the Club World Cup and five Copa del Rey. In the U.S. he won the Leagues Cup and Supporters’ Shield, and will bow out in November after the MLS playoffs.

  • Barcelona extend Alba’s contract

    FC Barcelona have agreed to extend left full-back Jordi Alba’s contract until 2024, the La Liga leaders said in a statement on Thursday.

    The club also said they have included an eye-watering buy-out clause of 500 million euros (428 million pounds).

    Spain international Alba has played 282 games for Barca since re-joining from Valencia in 2012 after being released by the club as a teenager.

    He has won 14 trophies, including four La Liga titles, four Copa del Reys and the 2015 UEFA Champions League.

    Read Also: Barcelona fan sheds tears of joy for Messi

    The 29-year-old Alba has been capped 67 times by Spain and was part of the side that won the 2012 European Championship.

    The full-back has grown in importance to the team since Ernesto Valverde took over as coach in 2017 and has a good understanding with Lionel Messi.

    He has provided 20 assists for the Argentine forward.

    NAN

  • Messi eats at his own table- Alba

    Lionel Messi’s mesmeric display in Barcelona’s 4-2 Champions League win over Tottenham Hotspur on Wednesday, proved yet again, that he is a class above the world’s other top players, team mate Jordi Alba, has said.

    Messi ran amok at Wembley Stadium, slicing Spurs apart with incisive passes from deep, such as the one that allowed Philippe Coutinho to open the scoring.

    He was as dangerous as ever in front of goal, firing in the Catalan side’s final two goals to end their winless run of three games.

    “Messi eats at his own table; he plays on another level to the rest.

    “When Leo goes on a run, all the rest of us can do is grit our teeth. He is the best in the world and he makes all of us a little bit better,” Barca defender Alba told reporters.

    Messi was a surprise absentee from the three nominees at FIFA’s The Best awards ceremony last week in London, where Real Madrid’s Luka Modric was crowned Player of the Year ahead of Mohamed Salah and Cristiano Ronaldo.

    “For me `The Best’ is a lie,” said Alba.

    Rakitic, the scorer of Barca’s second goal, said Messi was one of a kind.

    Read Also: 2018 FIFA Best Award: Modric wins to end Ronaldo, Messi dominance

    “With respect to the other players, Messi is unique. Sometimes a player has a great season like Modric did, but we all know Messi is different,” he added.

    Wembley is a happy hunting ground for Barcelona, who won their first European Cup there in 1992.

    They also beat Manchester United 3-1 at the venue in the Champions League final in 2011.

    “If we played like this every day then we’d win every competition every year.

    “If we do things in the right way and work as a team, it’s very difficult to beat us. If we all fight for the same objective the results will come,” said Alba

    The victory keeps Barca joint top of Champions’ League Group B with Inter Milan, who they play next, and saw them snap a run of four Champions League away games without a win.

    “There are some games you look forward to a lot and this was one of those and we’re very happy with how the players responded,” added Coach Ernesto Valverde, who had faced heavy criticism in the media in the build up to the game.

    “I hope the fans are too,” he said.

  • Suarez still good insists Jordi Alba

    Suarez still good insists Jordi Alba

    Jordi Alba is adamant that Luis Suarez was a good signing for Barcelona even if he has yet to replicate the form that saw him win the European Golden Shoe at Liverpool last season.

    The Uruguay international, 28, has scored just twice in La Liga since his return from suspension and again failed to find the net in the 3-2 win over Villarreal on Sunday.

    Nevertheless, Jordi Alba has stressed that Suarez still adds something to the team they were previously missing.

    “Perhaps Suarez is having a tough time finishing, but he was a very good signing and he gives us what we lacked,” the defender told the official Barcelona website.

    “We have several great attackers now and that makes a difference.

    “As the coach has said, our bench is very deep with excellent players and there are lots of options.”

    The Spain international then went on to hail his side’s hard-fought win over Villarreal at Camp Nou.

    “This wasn’t a game that we dominated as we usually do, it was much tougher than usual,” he added.

    “Villarreal hadn’t lost in 18 games, which means that they’re very good. The semi-finals of the Copa del Rey will be no easy task.”

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  • JORDI ALBA: El Clásico? We’ve got to beat Eibar first

    JORDI ALBA: El Clásico? We’ve got to beat Eibar first

    BARCELONA full-back Jordi Alba was inevitably asked for his thoughts about El Clásico against Real Madrid, during his press call , but he pointed out that his side must be alert and deal with their match against Eibar, before thinking about the Bernabéu encounter.

    Jordi Alba, responding to a question regarding possible tiredness of international players, by explaining that it’s not something that should affect the Barcelona squad, ahead of their match this weekend.

    “We’re used to coming back from our national teams, so there aren’t any problems and it doesn’t pose any issues preparing to get back into La Liga action.”

    As the first competitive appearance of Uruguayan star Luis Suárez draws ever closer, particularly it could come in El Clásico, Alba noted that whilst the striker will be a key player, the emphasis is firmly that he’ll be a part of the team and no more important than any other.

    “It’s only natural that there’s a lot of talk about Luis Suárez, who is an important player for us, even if he’s not played competitively yet. As for him playing at the Bernabéu, that’s something the press want to see and talk about, but in the end, it’s the decision of the manager. His contribution to the team will be a plus for us though. I’m sure he’ll score lots of goals with Barcelona, but we have more players in the team and it’s not just about him, Messi or Neymar doing well at the Bernabéu.

    “Eibar are currently ninth and are having a great season so far. They’ll come out to compete for the ball and they’ll be difficult opponents. If we beat them, all it means is that we’ll go to the Bernabéu with more points, but if we’re not careful against Eibar, they could show us up. They’re a strong team who get back and defend very well.