Just weeks after Sergio Busquets confirmed that he will be leaving Barcelona at the end of the season, another club icon has followed suit, announcing his upcoming departure from the Camp Nou. That man is Jordi Alba, with the left-back revealing this decision in an emotional video.
The 34-year-old, who was released by the Catalan giants back in 2005 as a teenager for being too small, returned to the Camp Nou back in 2012 and has been one of their most loyal servants ever since. However, after a trophy-laden 11-year spell with the Blaugrana, the Spaniard is now preparing to bid farewell.
The former Valencia man had one more year left on his deal but as confirmed in an official statement by the Spanish champions, he and Barcelona mutually agreed to terminate that contract. This means Sunday's home clash with Mallorca will be the Camp Nou farewell for both Alba and Busquets.
"FC Barcelona and Jordi Alba have reached an agreement to terminate the player's contract with the club one year earlier than it was due to expire at the end of the 2023/24 season," the Blaugrana announced on their official website.
"FC Barcelona would like to publicly express its gratitude to Alba for his professionalism, commitment and dedication, and his ever-positive and friendly relationship with all members of the Barça family, and wishes him every fortune in the future.
"Barça will always be a home for you, Jordi."
In his farewell video titled "Thank You", Alba can been see reliving some of his best memories, including his time with the Barcelona youth team, his Camp Nou unveiling back in 2012, and lifting the UEFA Champions League title back in 2015. Watch the video below.
GRÀCIES GRACIAS THANK YOU pic.twitter.com/2pARAdY02j
— Jordi Alba (@JordiAlba) May 24, 2023
While Alba fell down the pecking order this season under Xavi due to the rise of Alejandro Balde, Jordi's place in the history books is undeniable. The defender, who initially started his career as a winger, made a whopping 458 appearances during his team in the Barcelona first-team set-up, scoring 19 goals and racking up 91 assists as a left-back.
In fact, one could argue that these stats do not do justice as Alba has been one of the best attacking fullbacks in the modern game, having established a brilliant relationship with Lionel Messi during the Argentine's time in Catalonia.
Additionally, the Spaniard won 19 major trophies at Camp Nou, including six La Liga titles and five Copa del Rey crowns. Furthermore, he has a Champions League and FIFA Club World Cup medal to his name and will thus be cherished by Culers for his contribution to this iconic club.
