Forgotten Messi team-mate who won LaLiga and played for Spain now unemployed at 34 after playing for Barcelona’s rivals
WHILST Lionel Messi is still embarrassing defenders at the age of 36, one of his former Barcelona teammates is now unemployed.
Aleix Vidal played with Messi for three years at Barcelona, but now finds himself without a club despite once being a £14.5million signing.
Vidal joined the Catalan giants from Sevilla in the summer of 2015 with expectations high for what he could add to Luis Enrique’s side.
But it didn’t work out as hoped with the Spaniard making just 30 La Liga appearances across his three seasons with the club.
He left in the summer of 2018 to re-join Sevilla in a deal that saw Barcelona make a £7.5million loss on their investment.
Despite not getting the game time he would’ve hoped for, Vidal still departed the Camp Nou with two league titles, three Spanish cups and one Super Cup.
The 34-year-old has also got a Spanish national team cap to his name after he made a 45 minute cameo against Costa Rica in 2015.
He has spent the last two years with Barcelona‘s local rivals RCD Espanyol, but last month saw his time with the club come to an end after the expiration of his contract.
The second division Spanish side released a statement thanking Vidal for his time with the club.
It read: “RCD Espanyol appreciate his dedication and professionalism and wish him all the best in his future endeavours.”
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Now without a club, Vidal doesn’t seem keen to find a new home with the winger seemingly focused on ventures off the pitch.
He recently shared with his Instagram followers that his restaurant was recognised by the Michelin guide for 2023.