The fighting Frenchman- Eric Abidal

As Eric Abidal took his place in Barcelona’s conference room on the 30^th of May, life had come a full circle for the valiant Frenchman. “Merci Abidal” graced the screen behind him, beside the number 22 which he had proudly worn in his six years with the Catalan club, signifying the immense contribution he had made to the club not just as a footballer but as an ambassador for the game in its entirety. After a long lasting battle with liver cancer, and just a few weeks after making a comeback in front of a rapturous crowd at the Camp Nou, Barcelona announced that they would not be renewing Abidal’s contract, which expires at the end of June this year. Abidal’s expression was one of resigned and quiet disappointment, a feeling he would definitely have confronted numerous times during his harsh battle against cancer. But even as Barcelona announced that they would offer Abidal a role as technical director for their academies worldwide, Abidal’s fierce determination glowed supreme when he said-

‘The club has offered me a generous non-playing role here, but health permitting I will play, and then I will return.’

Eric Abidal’s fighting qualities were hardly unknown to people who had watched him since his early days. In Lyon’s 2005/06 season, Abidal suffered a serious metarsus fracture in a friendly against Once Caldas, which ruled him out for a significant chunk of the season. Inspite of the setback, Abidal made 15 appearances to help guide Lyon to their 5^th consecutive title. A few years down the line, Abidal was given the immensely intimidating responsibility of marking Cristiano Ronaldo during Lyon’s run in with Manchester United, a duty which he performed resolutely over two games. Asked about the task of marking Ronaldo, Abidal simply claimed-

‘As a defender, my aim is to infuriate the opponent. I want him to be so sick of the sight of me that he has to move somewhere else on the pitch to get away.’ Little did the world know, Abidal’s determination extended beyond footballing boundaries.

On 15^th March 2011, Barcelona announced that Eric Abidal had been diagnosed with a cancerous tumor in his liver and that he was scheduled to undergo a surgery two days on. Xavi Hernandez said “Hearing the news about Abidal is the worst thing that I have ever experienced in football but he transmits this calm – sometimes it feels as though we are more nervous than he is. He said he would return right from the moment that they diagnosed him.” And when one of the calmest players in world football admits to being overwhelmed by something like that, the intensity of the blow is unquestionable. Unbelievably, in spite of the monumental physical and mental adversity, Eric Abidal declared himself fit for selection. On May 3^rd, less that seven weeks after a three hour operation to save his life, Abidal made an 88^th minute appearance against fierce rivals Real Madrid, as Barca reached the finals of the Champions League. Abidal said after the game-

‘Playing for those two minutes was like winning the Champions League.’

Soon after, Abidal made a steady recovery towards full match fitness, playing 60 minutes against Levante, in a bid to earn his place in the final against Manchester United. He also sold his collection of sports cars, raising funds for children fighting cancer. His road to recovery received yet another shot in the arm, as Laurent Blanc recalled him to the French national team. And then, as all heroes wanted their scripts written, just 10 weeks after his surgery, Abidal played the entire 90 minutes of the final at Wembley, as Barcelona won the Champions League. So touched was Barcelona captain Carles Puyol by Abidal’s astounding recovery that he stripped off his captain’s armband and handed it to him, as Abidal lifted the Champions League before the 23,000 strong Barcelona contingent inside Wembley.

But exactly a year on, on March 15^th 2012, tragedy struck again. Barcelona announced that due to unforeseen complications left untreated after the first surgery, Abidal’s cancer had relapsed; following which he would undergo a liver transplant, donated by his cousin Gerard. Abidal was discharged a week later, starting once again the painstakingly slow and hard journey to full fitness.

After being backed by Barcelona, fellow professionals and millions of fans, Abidal continued his recovery into 2013. The Camp Nou crowd, to their credit, paid a touching tribute to Abidal, standing up and applauding on the 22^nd minute of every game that season. On 19^thMarch, Abidal made an appearance for Barcelona B, clocking 65 minutes of game time. On April 6^th, Abidal made his official comeback against Mallorca, replacing Gerard Pique in a 5-0 win. In his next game against Levante, Abidal summarized just why he had won over millions with his unwavering faith and unshakable temperament. Not only did he complete a full 90 minutes, but his statistics in the game were mind boggling. 420 days after his last start, Abidal recovered 11 balls in the first half alone, conceding none. He had 87 touches of the ball that night, winning 100% of his aerial duels and completing an amazing 97.4% of his passes (76/78). All this, while playing in the centre of defence, which wasn’t even his preferred position. Barcelona ended the season as league champions, and Eric Abidal unsurprisingly, was as vital a part of the celebrations as anyone else.

Even though Barcelona did not offer Abidal a contract, the man’s legacy at the club and in footballing circles will remain as strong as ever. As he bid his final goodbyes to the club, he broke into tears, so did many of his team-mates. Barcelona sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta said-

‘We have laughed, cried, suffered and enjoyed things together. I’ll never forget the day I visited him in the clinic and he said, ‘I’ll be back.’

Many people point out that Abidal’s squad number couldn’t have been more apt. The number on the left signifying he’s faced cancer, the number on the right stating the number of times he’s won. Rest assured, wherever and whatever Abidal does next, he will always be a shining example of the modern day footballer’s determination and steely will to persevere. In words of Barcelona’s president Sandro Rosell-

‘Abidal has become a very special person for all of us. He has won our hearts. He has taught us never to give up and how determination can overcome difficulties. It is a lesson for life that we’ll never forget.’