Andrés Iniesta | Icons.com News

Icons Weekend Football Preview: Barcelona Out To Extend Unbeaten Run; Aguero In Top Of The Table Clash

February 12, 2016 Icons.com

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It’s almost the weekend! And that means, as always, there’s a full card of top class football to look forward to. Football that involves our Icons doing what they do best – being iconic. So who’s playing where and when? With a run-down of what our friends are up to this weekend, it’s the Icons Weekend Football Preview…

Don’t forget to let us know who you’ll be supporting by getting in touch with our social media team. Find them on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and let them know how your favourite Icon has gotten on over the course of the weekend. Let’s get started!

Sunderland vs Manchester United

Wayne Rooney and Juan Mata travel to Wearside to take on Premier League strugglers Sunderland this weekend and we’re confident that at least one of them will be on the scoresheet during Saturday’s early kick-off. Rooney has scored three goals in United’s last two matches against the Black Cats, while Mata has scored twice in their last three meetings. Louis van Gaal’s side will arrive at the Stadium of Light hoping to keep up their good form and a win here will keep the Red Devils in touch with the top four – at least two of whom are guaranteed to drop points on Sunday.

Details: Premier League, Stadium of Light, Saturday 12:45pm, BT Sport 1 HD

Real Madrid vs Athletic Bilbao

Real Madrid have scored 19 goals in five games since Zinedine Zidane took charge and a whopping 16 in three home games at the Santiago Bernabeu and with Gareth Bale nearing a return to full fitness it’ll be down to Cristiano Ronaldo and James Rodriguez to continue the scoring in this deceptively tricky clash against sixth-placed Athletic Bilbao. Ronaldo will no doubt be in the mood, having picked up the Pichichi Trophy for finishing last season as the league’s top scorer during the weekend. How many will he and Real get this weekend?

Details: La Liga, Santiago Bernabeu, Saturday 3pm

Aston Villa vs Liverpool

Philippe Coutinho scored a wonderful free-kick midweek as Liverpool were knocked out of the FA Cup against West Ham United but, despite defeat, Jurgen Klopp’s young side looked strong and can take plenty of positives into this match at bottom of the table Aston Villa. Klopp will look to Coutinho for more magic this weekend and the Kop boss was full of praise for his Brazilian star recently. “I don’t know many teams who he can’t play for,” Klopp said of Coutinho. We can’t think of many either!

Details: Premier League, Villa Park, Sunday 2:05pm, Sky Sports 1 HD

Manchester City vs Tottenham Hotspur

Two of the Premier League’s most deadly strikers will face off at the Etihad on Sunday afternoon as Harry Kane and his Tottenham side travel to face Sergio Aguero and Manchester City in this mouth-watering top of the table clash. Aguero has scored six in his last four league games and Kane is on form too, with four in his last four Premier League outings, so expect goals from this match – one that could go a long way in deciding where the Premier League trophy ends up come May.

Details: Premier League, Etihad Stadium, Sunday 4:15pm Sky Sports 1 HD

Barcelona vs Celta Vigo

Luis Enrique’s Barcelona broke a club record on Wednesday with a 1-1 draw in the Copa del Rey at Valencia. The draw not only sealed their place in history – with the team reaching a record 29 consecutive games unbeaten in all competitions – but also the final of the Copa. Superstars Lionel Messi, Neymar Jr, Luis Suarez and Andres Iniesta were all rested for that game so we expect that foursome, fresh and on form, to come into this match against an overachieving Celta Vigo side eager to extend their lead at the top of the table.

Details: La Liga, Camp Nou, Sunday 7:30pm, Sky Sports 1 HD

Who will you be watching this weekend? Let us know!

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Go Behind The Scenes Of Our Signing With Andres Iniesta With Our Brand New Video

December 4, 2015 Icons.com

Signing Sessions Videos

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Andres Iniesta is one of Spanish football’s greatest ever players. When Barcelona manager Luis Enrique called him “a national monument” after the team’s 4-0 thumping of Real Madrid at the Santiago Bernabeu in November 2015, few could argue with him. That’s because, put simply, Iniesta is one of the very best in the game today.

So is it any wonder the midfield maestro is one of our most popular Icons?

Now you too can go behind the scenes of our latest signing with Andres with our fantastic new signing video, which showcases our close connection with the Barcelona superstar, who has signed with us since 2011.

In his fourth session with Icons, Andres happily signed a wide range of Barcelona and Spain shirts, home and away, as well as a selection of action photos and his very own Nike boots.

For the full range of Iniesta signed shirts, boots, balls and photos, head over to icons.com today and don’t forget to enter the discount code “JAN16SALE” for 20% off on selected items throughout January.

For a full report on our signing session with Andres, click here. Photos courtesy of Matt Hardy. For more images of Icons’ visit to Barcelona, visit www.matthardyphotography.co.uk.

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Icons Visits Camp Nou Courtesy of Lionel Messi

November 28, 2015 Icons.com

Miscellaneous

Andrés Iniesta Barca Barcelona Barcelona 4-0 Real Sociedad Barcelona FC Camp Nou FCB La Liga Leo Messi Lionel Messi Luis Suarez Neymar Neymar Jr Nou Camp Real Sociedad Spanish Football Three Amigos

One of the perks of working with some of the best players in the world is the opportunity to watch them in action. This weekend was no different, as Icons flew out from our HQ in London to meet with Barcelona superstar Lionel Messi in the Catalan capital.

After a signing with the legendary forward on Friday evening, Messi personally invited Icons to watch Barça entertain La Liga rivals Real Sociedad at Camp Nou the following day. With pitch-side seats courtesy of Messi himself, Icons got to enjoy yet another irresistible performance from the European and Spanish champions.

Messrs Messi, Neymar Jr, Luis Suarez and company ran riot over Eusebio Sacristán’s side with a 4-0 victory that extended their lead at the summit of La Liga, at least for a couple of hours.

Sweeping home the first of Barcelona’s goals was Neymar, whose superb form this season has him leading the team and the league with 14 goals. He would add another midway through the second half with an equally impressive team move initiated by fellow Icon Andres Iniesta.

Suarez was on had to score the second and most impressive goal of the day just before the interval, acrobatically volleying in Dani Alves’s cross past Sociedad goalkeeper Gerónimo Rulli and into the bottom corner to send the Blaugrana faithful wild.

With the game 2-0 at half time, the feeling around the ground was that the points were safe and the only question left was how many more Barcelona would get.

Sure enough, Neymar added his second and the team’s third on the 54th minute, sliding in Jérémy Mathieu’s perfectly weighted pass. But the biggest cheer of the afternoon was reserved for the fourth and final goal of the game, as Neymar, Suarez and Messi combined to allow the latter to score his first league goal since returning to action after injury.

Impressive as the performance and the scoreline was, some would argue Barcelona still didn’t quite reach their full potential, which should tell you all you need to know about this phenomenal team.

For our full range of Barcelona products, including triple signed shirts from the Three Amigos and brand new products from Lionel Messi, Andres Iniesta and Luis Suarez – all in time for Christmas – check out icons.com now!

Photos courtesy of Matt Hardy. For more images of Icons’ visit to Camp Nou, visit www.matthardyphotography.co.uk.

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Why We Love Andres Iniesta, The World’s Most Beloved Footballer

May 13, 2014 Icons.com

Why We Love

Andrés Iniesta Autograph Barca Barcelona Icons Signed Memorabilia Sports Memorabilia Twitter

In 1999, Pep Guardiola stated that he had seen a 15-year-old in a youth team of FC Barcelona who could read the game better than he could himself. Because the boy was a big fan of Guardiola, he signed a poster for him with the text: “To the best player I’ve ever seen.” The boy was delighted.

It were Andrés Iniesta’s first steps to a glorious carreer.

Iniesta is not only one of the world’s best football players. He is also one of the most beloved footballers around the world. Even fans of rivals Real Madrid and Espanyol have to admit they like him as both a player and a person.

We met Andrés Iniesta for the third time during our private signing session last month. He is one of the nicest person in football and so down to earth.

Pep Guardiola once said about Iniesta: “He doesn’t wear earrings and hasn’t got any tattoos. That makes him unattractive to the media but he is the best.” He is an ordinary-looking guy, who not long ago in a Barcelona café was mistaken for a waiter by a woman who gave him her order. Iniesta went to the kitchen and got it for her.

But what makes Iniesta such a beloved player around the world? He thanks his parents for the person he is nowadays.

“I like to return to the small town where I grew up and hang out with my old friends. It is easy for me to be me. I am how my parents educated me. I am what I am thanks to my parents. It’s impossible to lose those values. When I was 12 years old my father saved money for three months to buy me predator boots. I have money now but each time I look at those boots I remember where I come from.”

Vision of life
Something that changed his vision of life was the death of Dani Jarque, his close friend and Espanyol’s captain, who suddenly passed away in 2009 because of a heart attack. “Jarque’s death completely changed my vision of life.”

He wanted to make the world remember Dani Jarque. And he did. Iniesta scored the winner in the 2010 FIFA World Cup™ final which made Spain the world champion for the very first time. When all the world was watching him, he took off his shirt and showed his message, “Dani Jarque siempre con nosotros.”

Dani Jarque will always stay with him. And we will always like Andrés Iniesta.

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