25.11.2009 13:27
Abidal a guarantee at left back
David Puig
Eric Abidal has committed his future to FC Barcelona at the peak of his footballing career. The 30-year-old French international defender is playing his best football since he joined the Club in summer 2007.
Abidal is enjoying his best start to the season since he signed for FC Barcelona. The 30-year-old
is at the peak of his footballing powers and is looking forward to the future with the same desire
as when he moved to the Club from Olympique Lyon in the summer of 2007. His new contract was signed
the day after he returned from flu and injury to help the team defeat Inter Milan in the Champions
League.
This season’s stats
So far this season, Eric Abidal has played 13 competitive matches (including 11
starts) in the League, Champions League and Cup. He has recovered possession 84 times and has only
committed 15 fouls. And all this without receiving a single card – which gives some idea of
his effectiveness in defence.
Collector of titles
In his ten years as a professional footballer, Abidal has accumulated a
lot of silverware. After four seasons without a title with Monaco and Lille, Abidal moved to
Olympique Lyon in 2004/05 and went on to win three French league titles and three Super Cups.
The success didn’t stop when he moved to FC Barcelona in 2007. The first season was one
of readjustment and did not bring any more medals. Then came the change of manager and at the
orders of Josep Guardiola he became a vital part of the Barça treble-winning side.
Lost opportunities
Abidal had the bad luck to be suspended for both Cup and Champions League finals so
this season he’ll be determined to make up for lost opportunities. At the moment he has
picked up winners’ medals in the Spanish and European Super Cups. He featured in the starting
line-up of both matches - in Monaco against Shakhtar and in San Mamés against Bilbao in the first
leg of the Spanish Super Cup.