Barcelona and Jordi Alba will separate after this season. The veteran confirmed on Wednesday afternoon that he is saying goodbye to Barça after eleven years. Alba also went through the youth academy with the champion of Spain.
Alba confirms departure from Barça with video full of fond memories
Sounds about a farewell to the left back had been circulating for some time and now it is final. Alba was no longer sure of a starting place this season and saw that former teammate Xavi Hernández often preferred Alejandro Balde (19) on the left wing.
Alba celebrated his sixth national title with Barcelona this season. After his move from Valencia in the summer of 2012, the defender also won the Champions League once. The 96-time Spanish international came to 458 official matches for Barça in eleven years and can say goodbye against Real Mallorca in Camp Nou on Sunday.
“I came home in 2012 and eleven years later I am very proud of what we have achieved together. Not everything in recent years has been beautiful, we have also experienced difficult moments. But we have always remained faithful to each other. I will miss Camp Nou. As a nine-year-old youth player at Barça, I never thought I would achieve so much with the club of my life. Now the time has come to say goodbye. It was not an easy decision, but I leave with a good feeling. I will forever be a culer,” Alba said in the video message.
Jordi Alba will receive another twenty million from Barcelona
Jordi Alba reportedly receives another twenty million euros from Barcelona. The left back announced on Wednesday that he would leave the club after eleven seasons, which came as a surprise to president Joan Laporta.
After playing eight years in Barcelona’s youth academy, Alba returned to his great love in 2012. Since then he was good for more than four hundred games in the first of Barcelona. This season, the 34-year-old defender is more often a bench seat than a basic player. Alejandro Baldé has finally broken through in the first team and is usually preferred by trainer Xavi.
That made Alba decide to close the door behind him next summer. Something that, according to the Spanish SPORT, came as a surprise to President Laporta. “Have you really thought about it, Jordi?” was Laporta’s first reaction after Alba announced the news internally. On the other hand, he also understood Alba’s choice very well. Laporta added, “He would have every right in the world to come to this decision. Because you earned it.”
Barcelona therefore treats the decision of club icon Alba with respect and decides to cooperate in a summer departure. Both parties have agreed to dissolve the contract. According to Mundo Deportivo, he will receive another twenty million euros from Barcelona. This concerns an accumulation of deferred amounts that Alba owes because he tried to help improve the financial situation of the club, partly due to the corona period. On the other hand, a large part of the salary that he would still receive will be lost.
Although there are no concrete things yet, SPORT knows that there is interest in the Spaniard. Internazionale, Atlético Madrid, Manchester United and a club from Saudi Arabia are associated with him.
