The morning of Tuesday, August 13, was a very emotional one at the Spotify Camp Nou. The Auditori 1899 witnessed the farewell of Sergi Roberto from FC Barcelona, who left the club after 18 years, 14 of them in the first team, where he played 373 games and won 25 titles, in addition to wearing the captain's armband in his last season wearing the Barcelona shirt. In an event worthy of his legacy at the club, the footballer was accompanied by several of the entity's most prominent figures from the past and present.
And no one wanted to miss the farewell of a player who has left a mark on each of his locker roommates and members of the institution. The board was present with Joan Laporta at the head, accompanied by the sports vice president, Rafa Yuste, and the sports area coordinator and former teammate of Sergi, Bojan Krkic. In addition, Barça legends such as Xavi, Gerard Piqué and Carles Puyol also came to the Blaugrana facilities to accompany the midfielder on a day that they already experienced as team idols.
The event also had the very special presence of Juan Carlos Unzué, a great exponent and example of the fight against ALS, a disease that caused the death of Maria Rosa Carnicer, Roberto's mother. The Navarrese was Luis Enrique's assistant in his three seasons on the culé bench (2014-17), a stage that the man from Reus especially highlighted in his speech for having consolidated him in the Barça first team.
On the other hand, and despite the fact that this Tuesday was granted by Hansi Flick as a day of rest, the players of the Barça first team have come to say goodbye to their captain last year. New stars such as Lamine Yamal, Dani Olmo, Gavi and Pedri, and members of the 'old guard' such as Marc-André Ter Stegen and Frenkie de Jong were present at the event to hug their now former teammate. Finally, his wife, Coral Simanovich, his two daughters and his father also witnessed the player's goodbye in the front row.
A notable absence
Although Sergi's farewell was full of club members, the sports director, Deco, had to be absent from the event, in a 'disappearance' that may give something to talk about. The Portuguese executive was seen leaving the Auditori 1899 before the end of the event, waiting for his cell phone in the midst of the 'maelstrom' of the transfer market, where in the Barcelona offices there are still several open fronts, both for entries and exits, that must be resolved. .