Andres Iniesta could be set to suffer a first career relegation following his mega-money move to Japan.
After helping Barcelona to their 25th La Liga title in style - the Catalan juggernauts claimed 93 points during the 2017/18 campaign, 14 more than closest rivals Atletico Madrid - the veteran magician headed for J1 League outfit Vissel Kobe just months after penning a lifetime contract with La Blaugrana.
The four-time Champions League winner, 38, is now nearing the end of his fifth season at the Misaki Park Stadium, captaining the side since April 2019, when former Arsenal forward Lukas Podolski stepped down from the role.
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But after helping the Cows to the first pieces of silverware in their 56-year history (the Emperor's Cup in 2019 and the Japanese Super Cup in 2020), Iniesta is in danger of adding a first-ever relegation to his glittering CV.
Vissel finished third in the J1 League last campaign, earning only a second-ever qualification to the AFC Champions League, but Japanese outfit have managed just six wins during the course of the 2022 season.
Takayuki Yoshida's side have slipped into the bottom three with just nine matches remaining of the 2022 season and their current 16th-place standing would ensue a relegation play-off match against J2 League's play-off winning team.
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Vissel Kobe also face a difficult end to the season with a scheduled final day showdown against league leaders Yokohama FM on the back of a trip to fourth-place Kawasaki the week beforehand. Needing to manage his ageing body, Iniesta missed Vissel's AFC Champions League quarter-final clash on Monday, though his contract with the Asian outfit is not set to expire until January 2024.
The ex-Spain international is determined to see out his likely final campaign in the Japanese top flight but may now need to rely on former Barca team-mates Bojan and Sergi Semper to bail Vissel out of trouble.
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