There are moments that mark the career of a footballer, and one of the most remembered for Andrés Iniesta and all the barcelonismo was, without place to doubts, the golazo of the manchego in Stamford Bridge to give to the Barcelona the pass to the final of the Champions League 2008-09. This Monday 6 May, on the eve of that the Barça go back to contest a turn of semifinals of the League of Champions in England, fulfil two lustros of the historical goal of Iniesta to Chelsea, that classified to the team culé to play the final of Rome against the Manchester United.
Such day as today, the one of Fuentealbilla left recorded his name with capital letters in the history of the FC Barcelona, when turning into the Barcelona hero thanks to the goal saviour against Chelsea, empatando to one a party that the Barça suffered of the beautiful in Stamford Bridge.
The 'blues' had several opportunities to expand the advantage after the initial goal of Essien, from out of the area, although the Barcelona achieved to arrive 'alive' to the last minutes of meeting falling 1-0 in the marker. Here it was when Dani Alves visited the right band to launch a desperate centre, that Terry cleared of head to a side.
Samuel Eto'or collected there the balloon after a bad control, and touched it backwards to Messi, without that Essien achieved to clear it. Then Messi yielded the ball to Iniesta, that was just in the frontal of the area of Chelsea and struck it with the outside of the right leg, planting the shot in the left square of Cech and doing useless his pulled.
The 1-1 classified to the Barcelona for the final of the Champions 2008-09, and automatically after the goal desató the madness between the culés. Guardiola Visited the band like a crazy, Iniesta removed the T-shirt and all his mates threw him on. It finish to mark a historical goal, that to the dessert would contribute to the 'orejona' harvested by the Barça some weeks afterwards in front of the 'network devils'.
The goal that changed the career of Iniesta
In a recent interview conceded to 'Barça TV', Andrés Iniesta remembered how lived those magic instants in London: "they come Me the memories that have lived to personal level and community. Memory that were to a step to be in the final, came to win to the Real Madrid (2-6) and almost had sentenced LaLiga, went a very difficult party. Practically we do not throw between the three sticks during all the party but follow insisting to the end, and when anybody imagined it arrived this 1-1 that gave us the classification".
The goal marked a turning point in the career of Iniesta. "Had a brutal importance and to personal level, one of the best moments that have lived in my sportive life. It will remain for ever in the history of the Barça and for me have this privilege is something very beautiful", ensures the manchego. A goal that any culé will forget never.