The former captain, Roberto, bid a tearful farewell to the club he joined as a child at a press conference.
Roberto said: “Since my first appearance, I have had the privilege of playing alongside great icons who have become my friends. We have won many trophies and experienced many unforgettable nights. Who would have thought that I would play 373 games for the club of my life, becoming the first captain, taking over from Messi, Busquets, Xavi and others. I would like to thank the club president, staff, management and many others who have worked so hard for this. To the fans, I wish I could have said goodbye on the pitch, but I will always be grateful for your support over the years. We have experienced unforgettable moments together. I will always hold you in my heart.”
Roberto thanked his teammates, the club, staff, his wife Coral and family. But he made special mention of his mother who passed away in 2019 after a long illness.
Roberto added: “Mom, although you haven’t been by my side these past few years, you’ve always been the one who gave me strength in my toughest moments. I believe you would be very proud of my career at Barcelona.”
In tears, Roberto ended his speech before engaging in a brief interaction with the club’s host. He made a special point of praising the La Masia academy that supports Barcelona, recalling many moments from his career.
He said: “La Masia is the heart of this club. I would tell them to be very patient. I always said to my father, only the truly capable can make it out of La Masia. Every year I worked hard to achieve my dream, which was to get into the first team. I would tell them that if their dream is like this, then work hard, the opportunity will come and this is the best club in the world. The effort is worth it. This has worked for me. Always respect your teammates, try to help them, with calm, effort and dedication.”
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