Not shocked to see Iniesta isn't that rated on here, end products players (the Walcotts, Lampards etc of this world) are generally preferred from what I have seen.
If Zidane had played his whole career for Madrid I'm sure some people would have said he was just lucky to be at the right place at the right time. Iniesta is the closest player to Zidane I have seen in the past 20 years, both interms of playing style (the touch, grace, the way they glide around the pitch etc) and the knack of producing the goods in key moments at the highest level. Think of Inietsa's brillant through pass to Eto'o for the equaliser against us in Paris 🙁, or the one to set up Eto'o in the CL final against the Mancs or his goal against the Russians at Stamford Bridge or his winning goal in the world cup etc This is all from a player with a very low return in terms of goals or assists over a season but when the pressure is really on, at the highest level, he pops up with a decisive goal or assist - that is a sign of a truly great player. Zidane was the same - vaguely remember one of the top brass at Juve referring to him as a luxury player.
Iniesta's performace in the 2009 CL final was one of the best individual performances I have seen at that level, a performamce very very few footballers are capable of. He was easily better than everyone on the pitch and that was a match featuring the likes of Messi, Xavi, Henry, Eto'o, Ronaldo etc The impressive thing about that performnce was he had been injured few weeks prior to the final and was seen as a doubt for the game. But yeah who cares, he doesnt't score penalties/deflections/bucket loads against the Levantes, Celta Vigos, Burnelys etc of this world.
Fortunately he plays in a country or for a club where CMs are not judged on end products but on their technical and tactical qualities that make the team plays better. A CM that does an awful job in midfield could still be lauded as a great CM in the PL if he scored gazillion goals against clueless teams like West Ham, QPR etc Iniesta has never been prolific in his life but he's getting less into scoring positions these days because as I mentioned the other day, Enrique uses the CMs more as water carriers for the full backs. Barca are no longer a midfield team. All about the forwards.
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