​Andres Iniesta will say farewell to ​Barcelona at the end of the season following a trophy-laden 17 years at the club, but it was the 33-year-old's departing words to Lionel Messi during El Clasico that has captured fans' attention.





The pair have been teammates at Camp Nou for 14 years and have developed a telepathic relationship with one another to devastating effect, and despite handing over the captain's armband to the Argentina star on many occasions, it was Iniesta's final time against their fiercest rivals which tugged on the heart strings.





As Iniesta's number was called in the 58th minute of the 2-2 draw on Sunday, the Spaniard made his way to Messi before receiving a standing ovation as he took off towards the dugout.

📸 | Iniesta while passing the armband to Messi: "Here Leo, I love you so much." pic.twitter.com/55S8icdZ05 — Barca Universal (@BarcaUniversal) May 8, 2018

The touching moment between two of the B laugrana's greatest ever servants was captured by the cameras saying to Messi: " Here Leo...I love you so much.”





A poignant gesture which only compounds the gut wrenching feeling when the realisation of the pair having just three games remaining together hits home.





Games against Villarreal, Levante and Real Sociedad remain as ​Barcelona continue to aim to avoid defeat in a bid to end their league season unbeaten, a feat the veteran midfielder can add to his long and seemingly never ending list of achievements at the club.