MADRID: First it was Fernando Torres, then Andres Iniesta. The La Liga season ended on Sunday with two Spanish football idols bidding farewell to their clubs.

Torres ended his storied career with boyhood club Atletico Madrid with a bang by scoring twice in the team’s 2-2 draw against Eibar.

A few hours later, Iniesta’s 22-year association with Barcelona ended with a victory as the player marked out as the Spaniard’s successor, Philippe Coutinho, proved the difference in a 1-0 win over Real Sociedad.

Barca end the season on 93 points, 14 more than second-placed Atletico and 17 above last year’s champions Real Madrid. Ernesto Valverde’s side lost only one Liga match, last week’s 5-4 defeat at Levante.

It was an intensely emotional ending for the players who were key members of Spain’s golden generation that won two European Championships and a World Cup.

With a tear in his eye, Iniesta walked off to a standing ovation from the Camp Nou in the second half, having unfastened his captain’s armband and handed it to Lionel Messi.

He hugged the Argentinian and then embraced the rest of his colleagues. The 34-year-old clapped the crowd, blew them a kiss, before exhaling and ducking into the dug-out.

An extravagant post-match ceremony followed, celebrating both Iniesta and the winning of La Liga and the Copa del Rey. Barca’s players returned to the pitch all wearing shirts with Iniesta’s name on their backs.

“Today is a difficult day. I have spent 22 marvellous years here and I’ve been so proud to defend and represent this badge, which for me is the best in the world,” Iniesta said, addressing Barca fans from the Nou Camp pitch.

“Thanks to all our fans, for the support you’ve shown and the respect you have given me. I came here as a boy and I leave aged 34 as a man. I’ll always carry you in my heart.”

Barca’s players then huddled beneath Iniesta and tossed him into the air.

“I feel privileged,” coach Ernesto Valverde said. “Just as they all do to have been a part of it. He is a unique, unrepeatable player. There is none like him.”

Sociedad welcomed Iniesta with a guard of honour while the crowd formed an impressive mosaic to spell out ‘Infinit Iniesta’ on the two sides of the stadium, with an infinity symbol, doubling up as number eights, at the ends.

A giant flag behind one of the goals read ‘Gracies Per Tant’, ‘thank you for so much’ in tribute to a player who came through their academy 22 years ago and spent 16 seasons pulling the strings in midfield, winning nine Liga titles, four Champions Leagues and six domestic Cups.

Iniesta, who scored Spain’s winner in the 2010 World Cup final, is reportedly set to play in Japan.

Earlier in Madrid, Torres who netted Spain’s winner in the Euro 2008 final also cried profusely in a ceremony to honor him at Wanda Metropolitano Stadium.

“I have to thank my grandpa, who gave me the greatest gift anyone can give a kid, which was to make me an Atletico fan,” Torres said. “It was an honour to be able to wear this jersey.”

Atletico were given a guard of honour by Eibar’s players before kick off after beating Olympique de Marseille 3-0 in Wednesday’s Europa League final, which was Torres’ first trophy with the club where he has spent the majority of his career.

Torres, who wore the captain’s armband in his final game, tapped into an empty net in the 42nd minute to cancel out Kike Garcia’s opener.

The Spaniard then gave Atletico the lead on the hour mark, latching on to a through ball from Diego Costa and rounding the goalkeeper to score his 129th goal for the club. He was then booked for jumping over the advertising boards to celebrate with supporters.

Eibar’s Ruben Pena levelled for the visiting side with a scorching strike from outside the area in the 70th minute, after Atletico defender Lucas Hernandez had been sent off for two bookings.

Torres, like Iniesta, has yet to declare his next move but this display — speedy, sharp and clinical — will have caught the eye of any interested parties.

“I have had the privilege to wear this shirt in over 400 games and it’s very tough to know that this is the final time,” said an emotional Torres, who made his debut for Atletico aged 17 in the 2000/01 season, leaving for Liverpool in 2007 but returning in 2015 after also playing for Chelsea and AC Milan.

“We have all been asked many times why we support Atletico or why Atletico is different. When we say that they cannot understand it, that it can’t be explained, I’d like you to remember how we feel today, proud and happy to be champions.”

Atletico coach Diego Simeone predicted Torres will one day be back again.

“His return was something I’d never seen before and today’s farewell was equal to that,” Simeone said. “I have no doubt he will return to the Atletico, maybe we will meet again at some point. A life in football is very long.”

Final standings

(Tabulated under played, won, drawn, lost, goals for, goals against, total):

Barcelona 38 28 9 1 99 29 93

Atletico Madrid 38 23 10 5 58 22 79

Real Madrid 38 22 10 6 94 44 76

Valencia 38 22 7 9 65 38 73

Villarreal 38 18 7 13 57 50 61

Real Betis 38 18 6 14 60 61 60

Sevilla 38 17 7 14 49 58 58

Getafe 38 15 10 13 42 33 55

Eibar 38 14 9 15 44 50 51

Girona 38 14 9 15 50 59 51

Real Sociedad 38 14 7 17 66 59 49

Celta de Vigo 38 13 10 15 59 60 49

Espanyol 38 12 13 13 36 42 49

Alaves 38 15 2 21 40 50 47

Levante 38 11 13 14 44 58 46

Atletico Bilbao 38 10 13 15 41 49 43

Leganes 38 12 7 19 34 51 43

Deportivo 38 6 11 21 38 76 29

Las Palmas 38 5 7 26 2 74 22

Malaga 38 5 5 28 24 61 20

Published in Dawn, May 22nd, 2018