Back? I was never away, says Barca’s Iniesta

Reuters

MADRID: Andres Iniesta will always be a hero to Barcelona and Spain fans but some had started to question whether the 30-year-old’s best days were behind him.
The playmaker’s outrageous skills were on full display again on Tuesday, however, as he cut through the Paris St. Germain midfield and released Neymar in front of goal to put Barca 1-0 ahead in the 14th minute of their Champions League quarterfinal, second leg.
Iniesta’s stunning slalom in the buildup to the opening goal brought the home fans at the Nou Camp to their feet.
Receiving the ball from center back Javier Mascherano deep in the Barca half with his back to the PSG goal, a clever feint took Iniesta past advancing midfielder Yohan Cabaye.
Forward Edinson Cavani attempted to rob the ball but Iniesta simply motored past him before a burst of pace took him away from midfielder Marco Verratti’s desperate lunge.
Advancing on the retreating PSG back line, Iniesta waited until the perfect moment before threading a pass between the defenders and Neymar took the ball around PSG goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu and poked it into the empty net.
It was only a third assist of the season for Iniesta in the Champions League, while he has made none in La Liga and two in the King’s Cup as Barca chase a treble of trophies to match their historic haul from 2009 under Pep Guardiola.
“I was never away but some people see things one-way and others another,” Iniesta told reporters.
“I always try to do things well,” he added. “I am very happy with the way everything is working out. I think you can always improve everything.”