A top Spanish referee, who will officiate at the 2018 FIFA World Cup, has explained why he always felt uncomfortable being on the same field as FC Barcelona legend Andres Iniesta.

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Antonio Mateu Lahoz has refereed in the Spanish top flight since 2008, and was officially listed as a FIFA referee in 2011.

Speaking ahead of the World Cup in Russia, Lahoz has explained that he always felt uneasy being on the field when Iniesta was playing because the midfielder would always complain that he was getting in his way.

"The great citizen who we are going to miss (Iniesta) is the player I have felt most uncomfortable with on the pitch," he said in an interview with Gol's "El Protagonista" show.

"He's the only one who got annoyed by my positioning on the pitch.

"They (Barcelona) are a team where it's very difficult to position yourself (as a referee), but I need to be around there."

Iniesta will not be getting in the way of Lahoz in Spain any longer following the 34-year-old's exit from the Catalan giants.

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The 41-year-old will referee in his first World Cup this month, having only previously officiated in the 2014 World Cup qualifiers and the 2018 qualifiers.

How far do you think Iniesta and Spain will go at the World Cup? Let us know in the comments section below.

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