Andres Iniesta Says He May Have Played His Last UCL Game for Barcelona

Andres Iniesta said Tuesday's loss to AS Roma in the UEFA Champions League may be his last match in the competition for Barcelona.

The La Liga side had a 4-1 lead from the first leg heading to the Stadio Olimpico, but Roma produced an incredible comeback to win 3-0 and progress on away goals.

After the match, a dejected Iniesta fronted up to the cameras and admitted this may be the final time he features in Europe's top club competition.

"[That this was my last Champions League game] is a possibility, and for that reason it hurts even more," he said, per Marca. "It's a very hurtful elimination because nobody expected it due to the lead we had. When you do things badly, make lots of mistakes and don't adapt to the game, this is what happens."

As we can see courtesy of BT Sport Football, it was clear the 33-year-old was hurting after Barca were knocked out:

Given there is no danger of Barcelona not qualifying for the competition next season as they're set to win La Liga, the quotes from Iniesta will raise doubts about his future at the Camp Nou.

As noted by Spanish football journalist Graham Hunter, there has been some speculation that Iniesta may make a decision as to whether or not to leave this month:

On the night, Iniesta played 81 minutes, as Barcelona crumbled inside an atmospheric Stadio Olimpico.

An early goal from Roma forward Edin Dzeko set the tempo for the evening, before a Daniele De Rossi penalty in the second half and a late header from Kostas Manolas were enough to send the Italian side through.

Chris Brunskill Ltd/Getty Images

While Roma created so many opportunities throughout the course of the contest, Barcelona were uncharacteristically blunt going forward. Per Dermot Corrigan of ESPN FC, the team has become a little too reliant on Lionel Messi:

Iniesta is still a master in the middle of the field, but he's beyond the peak years of his career and needs to be managed by coach Ernesto Valverde.

What happens now will be intriguing, as it's clear Iniesta is considering a new challenge away from his boyhood club. That's despite the Spain international only signing what was called a "lifetime contract" with Barcelona back in October, per Sky Sports. 

Iniesta has won the Champions League four times in his remarkable career and is one of the most experienced players in the tournament's history, as noted by the competition's official Twitter account:

It will be a sad day when Barcelona do lose Iniesta, whether that be due to a transfer or to him hanging up his boots. 

Still, after such a devastating loss, it would be no surprise if the Barcelona skipper was speaking with his heart rather than his head. There's no doubt he still has a lot to offer at the highest level.