The Jan Breydel Stadium is a connection between the past and the present at FC Barcelona. On October 29, 2002, at the stadium in Bruges, Belgium, the same venue where Hansi Flick’s squad will be in action in this season's Champions League, a Barça legend made his debut as a young Andrés Iniesta made his first official appearance in a Barça shirt. 

The stellar Barça career of the man from La Mancha began on a European night in Bruges. Match day five of the Champions League group stage with Barça already through to the knock out phase of the competition saw coach Van Gaal decide to give a debut to a young 18-year-old from Albacete, who had made a great impression in the youth teams at La Masia.

Wearing Barça’s iconic golden shirt and the number 34 on his back, Iniesta started the match in the centre of midfield alongside Gerard López. On the day Barça took victory thanks to a goal from Riquelme, but what the fans didn’t know at the time was that the most important thing was not the three points, but the debut of a player who, in the coming years, would bring them immense joy and 32 trophies. 

Jan Breydel Stadium, next stop for Flick's team

The anniversary the midfielder's debut is more pertinent this year as on Wednesday 5 November, Hansi Flick's side face Club Brugge in the Jan Breydel Stadium, the first game for the blaugranes in Bruges since the birth of the legend that is Andres Iniesta. 

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