Football: Iniesta bids farewell to Japan fans in Barcelona friendly

Former Spain and Barcelona great Andres Iniesta thanked his Japanese fans for their “love and respect” following his final appearance for J-League side Vissel Kobe on Tuesday.

The 39-year-old icon made his Japanese football swansong at Tokyo’s National Stadium in Kobe’s 2-0 exhibition defeat to a Barcelona side managed by another of the Catalan club’s former stalwarts, his longtime teammate Xavi.

The match marked the end of a five-year J-League stint during which Iniesta raised Vissel’s profile to unprecedented heights and brought the club their first major silverware, the Emperor’s Cup, on Ne...