By David Lee Wheatley
Inspirational Barcelona captain Carles Puyol has decided to leave the club at the end of this season, much earlier than expected after serious injury ruined his campaign.
The 35-year-old has been troubled by numerous knee problems recently, causing him to miss Euro 2012 for his country, while also limiting the defender to just 12 appearances for Barça so far during 2013-14.
Puyol had hoped to make another triumphant comeback for club and country as he'd done following previous injuries, but it wasn't to be. After nineteen hugely successful years in association with FC Barcelona, the defensive lynchpin has been forced into the decision to rescind the final two seasons on his current deal in order to avoid punishing his body any further.
Three years with Barcelona's 'C' and 'B' teams taught a young Puyol his trade prior to a surprise debut for the Blaugrana in October 1999, when pressed into action as a second-half substitute by Louis van Gaal away at Valladolid. He never looked back, cementing the right-back slot with a total of 37 appearances that season.
It took Puyol five long years ensconced within the first-team before a first major title arrived, but in 2004-05 he played an instrumental role as captain of Frank Rijkaard's side as they sealed the domestic league championship. A year on, he lifted the Champions' League trophy in Paris, as the Catalan giants saw off the challenge of Arsenal in the final.
At international level, the versatile Puyol assisted Spain in their successful quest to reach the pinnacle of global football when winning both Euro 2008 and, most impressively, the World Cup on the African continent in 2010. Playing regularly in the heart of defence by that stage for both Barcelona and Spain, Puyol was the rock upon which both teams built their astonishing run of success.
Back at Barça, the highly respected Catalonia native eventually led his club to a total of six La Liga titles, three Champions' League wins and two victories each in the UEFA Super Cup, FIFA World Club Cup and the Copa del Rey, throughout a period largely dominated by the 'tiki-taka' pass-and-move style of play encouraged by Pep Guardiola before he took a sabbatical from the game.
This time around, it's a three-way battle at the top of the Spanish league for honours between Barcelona and the two big Madrid clubs, while the Blaugrana still appear to possess a fantastic opportunity to secure another Champions' League triumph following their precise dissection of Manchester City in the first leg of their last-16 clash. If all goes well, Puyol could yet be signing off with another two trophies to his name come the end of a glittering career with his beloved Barça.
Whatever does occur between now and the season's end, the La Pobla de Segur-born star will go down in the history as one of the club's greatest servants. Tough, uncompromising and above all a winner, Puyol has made the most of his ability in leading Barcelona through an era to cherish and savour. He will be sorely missed around Camp Nou when he goes.
Twitter: @davewh1980
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