What Does the Future Hold for Andres Iniesta at Barcelona?

Barcelona's Andres Iniesta may end up feeling like he's had a limb torn off at the conclusion of this season.

It now seems more likely than ever that his Blaugrana midfield partner Xavi Hernandez will move on to pastures new to play out his final days before retirement, bringing an end to one of the best double acts world football has ever seen.

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It would seem that Luis Enrique has already been planning for that eventuality. David Boti of Sport noted prior to the match against Rayo Vallecano, in which both players were imperious in tandem, they had played together for just 11 minutes in 2015. 

Both Ivan Rakitic and, to a slightly lesser extent, Rafinha have been preferred by their manager.

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While Rayo were an obliging opponent, it was like a trip down memory lane for players and fans alike.

A sad time indeed, to be bearing witness to the break up of the partnership that has been synonymous with the recent successes of Barcelona and Spain.

All good things do eventually come to an end of course.

Recent reports appear to suggest that Iniesta has more or less accepted the situation, telling Marca (via Ben Nagle of the Daily Mail):

"

Sometimes I get the feeling that it seems we can't play together.

But it is always a privilege to be by his side because not only does he make your job easier, but he also makes the team work better.

Sometimes, as with all players, things don't work out. We have been together for a long time now and the feelings are always very good, though.

"

Aside from the impending parting of the ways, in some respects, Iniesta might well be relieved to see the back of this present campaign. 

At the time of writing, he has yet to register either a goal or assist in La Liga in 2014/15, per Squawka. For a player of his evident quality, such a statistic is astounding.

A well-publicised personal issue at the beginning of the season will have without doubt affected his form, and although there isn't usually any room for sentiment in football, Barca took the sensible approach. It was understandably difficult for Iniesta's mind to be on the job in hand.

His style is the embodiment of how the Catalans have wished to express themselves over the last few years, and if Luis Enrique wishes to retain any vestiges of the Pep Guardiola era in terms of playing style, then Iniesta still has to be one of the first names on the teamsheet.

Should the manager revert to a more direct and aggressive style, as he has done on numerous occasions already this season, then that is clearly not El Ilusionista's forte—and we may therefore only see him making sporadic appearances as a result.

For the immediate future, one important aspect that should be taken into account is that Iniesta will likely become Barca's club captain if Xavi moves on, per the club's official website.

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There's still a vote among the first-team squad at the start of each season to decide the four captains, but it would be hard to imagine Iniesta not being promoted from vice-captain. Would we then see a scenario in which the team captain isn't in the side? Of course not.

Looking further ahead and given Iniesta's age, perhaps the nature of his role in the team will be adapted to afford him a good few years before he hangs up the boots.

Already doing more defensive work than previously, Iniesta has the backing of his manager, quoted by Francesc Tomas of ESPN FC:

"

I'm very satisfied with the way Andres is playing. He knocks defences off balance and he gives us defensive solidity. Everybody will be involved. The players all know that to achieve things everybody has to pull their weight.

"

Fortunately for the Catalans, Iniesta has the in-game intelligence to modify his productivity to suit the needs of the team.

That sort of nous is invaluable; that type of player is priceless.