Victor Valdes bids farewell to Barcelona with open letter to fans
Goalkeeper Victor Valdes has bid farewell to Barcelona after 12 trophy-filled seasons.
Valdes says in an open letter released by the Catalan club that ''the moment has arrived to say goodbye.''
Valdes announced in January that he would be leaving his boyhood club come season end. He hasn't played since March when he suffered a season-ending ligament tear in his right knee that required surgery.
The 32-year-old Spanish international thanked several members of the club, with special mentions for former coaches Louis Van Gaal, Frank Rijkaard, Pep Guardiola, and Tito Vilanova.
Valdes joined Barca from Tenerife as a teenager, and spent 12 seasons in the first-team squad, going on to win six La Liga titles, three Champions League crowns, two Copa del Reys, two European Super Cups and the Club World Cup twice.
He is continuing to rehab the knee injury which will keep him out of the World Cup, but is widely expected to join Monaco in the coming weeks.
Barcelona can give Valdes a seventh Spanish league title if it beats Atletico Madrid on Saturday.
Information from The Associated Press was used in this report.
