Barcelona Captain Andres Iniesta Speaks Out on Catalan Referendum

FC Barcelona captain and Spanish national hero Andres Iniesta has spoken out about the Catalan independence referendum, which has proven a very divisive issue affecting all corners of society, including football.

“I have never and I will not, publicly give my opinion on situations as complex and with such diverse feelings,” Iniesta started in a Facebook post. “But this situation we are living in today is exceptional, and one thing is very clear to me. Before we do ourselves harm: talk to each other, and be responsible about everything you discuss.”

Iniesta is from the Castile-La Mancha region of Spain, but he has lived most of his life in Catalonia. He scored the goal to win Spain their only World Cup in 2010, when they defeated the Netherlands 1-0 in South Africa.

He has a reputation for being admired just about everywhere in Spain for his classy playing style and calm demeanor. Hopefully he can calm the situation just a little.

“Do it for us,” he finalized. “We deserve to live in peace.”