After his surprise departure from the club, Iñigo Martinez described his last days at FC Barcelona after deciding to join Al Nassr in the Saudi Pro League. The Spanish defender was one of the key figures at FC Barcelona last season, and many expected the center back to stay another season.
Al Nassr signed Iñigo Martinez for free after terminating his contract with FC Barcelona. Martinez described the move to Al Nassr as an opportunity he couldn’t pass on.
In a new interview with Gerard Romero from Jijantes FC, Martinez revealed that he left Barcelona manager Hansi Flick in shock.
Iñigo Martinez: “I had the talk with Hansi at one of the plane’s emergency exits. We discussed the situation, and the coach was left in shock. I told him I had an offer I considered unmissable. It wasn’t easy, I had to make the decision very quickly. At the time, I thanked the club for facilitating my departure, not everyone does that.”
Iñigo Martinez on Saying Goodbye to Teammates
Martinez describes how difficult it was to say goodbye to his former Barcelona teammates. The defender had only played his second season with the club, but felt at an all-time high.
Martinez considers the 2024-25 season as the best of his career. He played 46 matches across all competitions, scoring three goals and providing five assists.
The Spanish defender reveals that it was very unlikely that he could stay at Barcelona for another year.
Iñigo Martinez: “It was very hard for me to say goodbye to the players, and I’ve only been here for two years, and with some, just one year. Last year was the best of my career, but I saw it as very unlikely that I could stay one more year.”
