Home >> Football celebrity >> Eric Abidal

Full name éric Bilal Abidal
Date of birth 11 September 1979 (1979-09-11) (age 32)
Place of birth Lyon, France
Height 1.86 m (6 ft 1 in)
Playing position Defender
Club information
Current club Barcelona
Number 22

éric Bilal Abidal (born 11 September 1979) is a French footballer of Martiniquan descent, who currently plays as a left back for Barcelona and the French national team. He can also play as a central defender.

Abidal missed the 2009 UEFA Champions League Final, to be played against Manchester United, due to picking up a red card in the semi-final against Chelsea. The referee deemed Abidal to have fouled fellow French International Nicolas Anelka, and denying a goal scoring opportunity, although video evidence suggests that any contact was minimal. Abidal was again questionably sent off in the next match he played, a league tie with Villareal. The ensuing suspension meant that he missed the Copa del Rey final; Barcelona won with a 4–1 victory over Athletic Bilbao.

He continued to be first choice left back during Pep Guardiola's second season in charge, despite the arrival of Maxwell, until February 2010 when he suffered a muscle injury that will keep him out for around 2 months. Abidal has never scored a goal in his career.