MADRID: Andres Iniesta will always be a hero to Barcelona and Spain fans but some had started to question whether the 30-year-old’s best days were behind him.
The playmaker’s outrageous skills were on full display again on Tuesday, however, as he cut through the Paris St. Germain midfield and released Neymar in front of goal to put Barca 1-0 ahead in the 14th minute of their Champions League quarterfinal, second leg.
Iniesta’s stunning slalom in the buildup to the opening goal brought the home fans at the Nou Camp to their feet.
Receiving the ball from center back Javier Mascherano deep in the Barca half with his back to the PSG goal, a clever feint took Iniesta past advancing midfielder Yohan Cabaye.
Forward Edinson Cavani attempted to rob the ball but Iniesta simply motored past him before a burst of pace took him away from midfielder Marco Verratti’s desperate lunge.
Advancing on the retreating PSG back line, Iniesta waited until the perfect moment before threading a pass between the defenders and Neymar took the ball around PSG goalkeeper Salvatore Sirigu and poked it into the empty net.
It was only a third assist of the season for Iniesta in the Champions League, while he has made none in La Liga and two in the King’s Cup as Barca chase a treble of trophies to match their historic haul from 2009 under Pep Guardiola.
“I was never away but some people see things one-way and others another,” Iniesta told reporters.
“I always try to do things well,” he added. “I am very happy with the way everything is working out. I think you can always improve everything.”
Back? I was never away, says Barca’s Iniesta
Back? I was never away, says Barca’s Iniesta
US invests in counter-drone tech to protect FIFA World Cup venues
The US will invest $115 million in counter-drone measures to bolster security around the FIFA World Cup and America’s 250th Anniversary celebrations, the Department of Homeland Security said on Monday, the latest sign of governments stepping up drone defenses.
The FIFA World Cup will be a major test of President Donald Trump’s pledge to keep the US secure, with over a million travelers expected to visit for the tournament and billions more watching matches from overseas.
The threat of drone attacks has become a growing concern since the war in Ukraine has demonstrated their lethal capabilities. And recent drone incidents have worried both European and US airports.
“We are entering a new era to defend our air superiority to protect our borders and the interior of the United States,” DHS Secretary Kristi Noem said in a statement. Defense companies are developing a range of technologies aimed at countering drones, including tracking software, lasers, microwaves and autonomous machine guns.
The DHS did not specify which technologies it would deploy to World Cup venues. The announcement comes weeks after the Federal Emergency Management Agency, which sits under DHS, said it granted $250 million to 11 states hosting World Cup matches to buy counter-drone technologies.
Last summer, New York Governor Kathy Hochul, a Democrat, called on Trump, a Republican, to bolster federal support for defending against drone attacks.
