Eric Abidal

El Flaco

Active member
It's been exactly 10 years ago since we signed Abidal from Lyon for €9m

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The entire video has English subtitles, so you can watch the whole thing if you're interested.

Some quotes from the video I posted on Abidal's life before, during and after his time as a Barça player:

On arriving at FCB

“Adapting to life here wasn’t easy. First I had to learn the language and then get used to the schedule. Here lunches are later and matches can start at 10pm when in France by that time they are all pretty much over.”

On Guardiola

“Pep taught us a lot. He taught me to be calm on the pitch but also to be positionally intelligent … There were some very difficult training sessions when you had to face Xavi, Messi and Iniesta on the same side.”

On great matches

“The Clásicos were always different. The 6-2 win was a great result but what I most remember was the team spirit: working for each other and our star players made the difference.”

(The semi-finals against Chelsea)

“Iniesta, a player who never shoots, shot and it went into the top corner. I missed the final but we are in a team sport.”

On his illness

“When I was diagnosed with the illness I told my team mates not to worry. They needed to do their job and I would be back before the end of the season. In my head the most important thing was to get better and then to get back on to the pitch.”

(On lifting the Champions League trophy at Wembley)

“Carles Puyol told me to take the captain’s armband as I deserved it. He said he had spoken to the squad and the coach and everyone agreed. I was telling him not to but he convinced me. I remember lifting the cup but not the atmosphere, I was in my own little bubble.”

On retirement

“In my head no injury or illness was going to stop me going onto the pitch. It needed to be because I was tired not because of an illness. They told me there was a risk of relapsing and I slowly tried to get better. My wife wanted me to stop after Barça but she understands me now, I knew I was capable of playing for a couple more years.”

On favourite memories

“The best memory I have here is when I lifted the league trophy with Tito. Also, the last match I played here when I was able to bring my cousin out to the middle of the pitch. He deserved it. I managed to get a lot of people to applaud him and I think that represents what Barça is all about. More than a Club, more than a family.”
 

Aryagorn

Improvin' Perfection!!
On favourite memories

“The best memory I have here is when I lifted the league trophy with Tito. Also, the last match I played here when I was able to bring my cousin out to the middle of the pitch. He deserved it. I managed to get a lot of people to applaud him and I think that represents what Barça is all about. More than a Club, more than a family.
It is a wonder he still has that impression after the treatment that was meted out to him by the stupid board!
 

JamDav1982

Senior Member
It is a wonder he still has that impression after the treatment that was meted out to him by the stupid board!

Overall he was treated very well. They were too quick to promises a new playing contract when came back and when did come to that point it wasnt really possible and he was offered another job.

The idea he was treated like shit is massively over blown and doubt he would be back if felt as strongly about it as some do.
 

El Flaco

Active member

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Pedrerol & ElChiringuito were called out by Abidal today.

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"When I sent the video to encourage the team, Leo Messi never told me not to send them more things like that or that he did not want to know anything. Leo told me they did not like to see me like that, but at no time he had bad words for me."

Pedrerol & ElChiringuito
 

Windhook

Well-known member
It's a minor thing, but this is one of the most disgusting things to fabricate fake news. Shame on such journalists!
 

DonAK

President of FC Barcelona
Abidal will replace Robert Fernandez. Not sure what to think about this.

It's official.

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Devils

Senior Member
What a strange appointment...

He was Laporta's nomination for the Sporting Director in the 2015 elections.
 

El Gato

Villarato!
Well, this could either go to either extreme. Either it'll be super shit with zero acumen for talent policy and at best just another case of Zubi in terms of forward planning, or he's the first true appointment towards better long term transfer policy. Keen to see how this turns out.
 

DonAK

President of FC Barcelona
Well, this could either go to either extreme. Either it'll be super shit with zero acumen for talent policy and at best just another case of Zubi in terms of forward planning, or he's the first true appointment towards better long term transfer policy. Keen to see how this turns out.

It all depends on whether he calls the shots or Pep Segura.

I hope Abidal didn't get into this mess only to have no influence in anything with Segura being his boss and overruling and deciding everything.
 

El Gato

Villarato!
It all depends on whether he calls the shots or Pep Segura.

I hope Abidal didn't get into this mess only to have no influence in anything with Segura being his boss and overruling and deciding everything.

It'll be clear enough even in this transfer window. Abidal has a vision 20 years younger, played and studied the philosophy with the best players in Barca's history. Even transfer negotiations should look smoother if he's given leeway. Not sure how attractive his personality is in person, but it's no coincidence Madrid is beating Barca to several talents when you have a dude like Segura giving nods and talking to the kids, when he has a horrendous track record in youth development since 2000.
 

serghei

Senior Member
Nobody knows how good he is in this position, but he played under Pep for 4 years, is a Barca legend, and a great person.
 

Joan

Well-known member
Really happy for Abidal. Impossible to predict how he'll turn out, but I have a good feeling about it.
 

Catta

Senior Member
Didn't Abidal recommend Umtiti to Barca. If he can get more players like that, he will be great.
 

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