It was an emotional day for everyone involved with Barcelona on Friday as Andres Iniesta confirmed he would be leaving the club during a press conference.

The 33-year-old was in tears as he announced he would be leaving Barca at the end of the season after 22 years at Camp Nou.

Iniesta, who has also won the World Cup with Spain, has eight La Liga titles - with a ninth set to be secured in the coming weeks - alongside four Champions League wins and six Copa del Rey crowns to his name during his time at the club.

And he simply couldn’t hold back the tears in front of journalists and teammates.

Iniesta is now expected to move to China, with Chongqing Dangdai Lifan close to a deal according to their president Gong Daxing.

"This is my last season here," Iniesta revealed. "I have thought my decision through for a long time. For me, Barca is the best club in the world - this club has given me everything.

"I would like to thank my team-mates and everyone who accompanied me every day, they made me be better. It's been a dream come true, lots of titles, important moments throughout my career. I am very happy to have played for this club. I am proud."

WHY WASN'T LIONEL MESSI THERE?

But after Barca fans stopped crying over Iniesta’s announcement, they started asking why Lionel Messi wasn’t there at the press conference.

Almost all of Iniesta’s teammates were in the room but Messi - along with Luis Suarez - were nowhere to be seen.

While Suarez’s absence is unexplained, we now know why Messi wasn’t there - and the reason is rather bizarre.

Spanish outlet Mundo Deportivo are reporting that Messi attended an ‘unmissable appointment’ to renew his passport for his wife and his children.

They suggest that Messi tried to change the appointment but it wasn’t possible.

While Messi wasn’t in attendance, Iniesta reserved a few words for the five-time Ballon d’Or winner.

"For me it has been and always will be an honour and a privilege to have shared a team with him,"  Iniesta said.

"To be able to share time with him every day and share so many magic moments, because in my opinión there is no-one like him and there never will be."