The long goodbye: Iniesta sits alone in Camp Nou after final Barcelona match

Powerful images show Andres Iniesta sitting on the Camp Nou pitch after saying goodbye to the Barcelona fans.

Andres Iniesta was pictured sitting alone on the Camp Nou pitch after playing his final match for Barcelona on Sunday.

The powerful images showed the 34-year-old bidding his own personal farewell to the famous stadium after 22 years at the club.

Iniesta played 81 minutes of the 1-0 LaLiga win over Real Sociedad before being substituted to tumultuous applause from the crowd.

He later gave an emotional speech to fans and team-mates, which he finished by paying tribute to Barca, Catalonia and Fuentealbilla, his home town.

The Spain star also handed out personalised shirts to lucky individuals after Barca's title-winning celebrations had subsided.

Earlier, he recorded a message to his Twitter followers in which he thanked them "for all the affection" shown during his time at the club.

"It's been a magical, unforgettable day, one I will always carry in my heart," he said.

"A lot of years, a lot of feelings, a lot of emotions, but without a doubt I'll never forget the affection you've always shown me."

With the stadium empty, Iniesta returned to the centre circle and sat on the turf for some quiet reflection, before eventually departing the pitch for the final time.

The midfielder has been tipped to sign for J.League outfit Vissel Kobe in the coming days.