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#2 Andres Iniesta
In November 2015, FC Barcelona visited the Santiago Bernabeu for the El Clasico, without Lionel Messi. Messi was ruled out of the match with a hamstring injury. Barcelona came into the match as second favourites to Real Madrid. But what followed, was another one-sided Clasico, in favour of Barcelona.
The star man this time was none other than the Artist, Andres Iniesta. With the captain’s armband across his sleeves, without his midfield partner Xavi Hernandez, without Lionel Messi, Iniesta stepped up to the occasion.
Iniesta started with sleek passing in the midfield. Backwards, forward, sideward his passes had the perfect weight on them. He outclassed both Kroos and Modric in the midfield, with both of them having no idea of his next move.
Under Modric’s watchful eye, Iniesta lobbed a ball towards Sergi in a split second but Barca couldn't capitalise. Iniesta did one better, however. This time much closer to the box, with Kroos, Modric and Varane in front, he picked out Neymar with a picture-perfect pass, in the nick of time that Ramos played him onside. Neymar finished doubling Barcelona’s advantage.
Early in the second half, the magician cast his charm on the Bernabeu. One pass towards Neymar which was beautifully backheeled by the Brazilian came right back to Iniesta. With enough time and space ahead, the Spaniard slammed the ball in the back of the net and went off sucking his thumb. Ramos and Marcelo could only dive while Iniesta’s shot found its way into the net.
When Iniesta left the pitch in the 76th minute, passing the armband to Lionel Messi, the Bernabeu stood up. A thunderous sound echoed in the stadium as the fans applauded the sheer artistic brilliance from the Mozart of Albacete.
