By moving to Japan to play for Vissel Kobe, Andres Iniesta opened himself up to new experiences: a new home, a new language, a new culture, a new style of football. One new experience he was not looking for was a relegation battle.
With four matches of the 2018 season remaining, Kobe sit four points clear of the J1 League relegation zone in 12th place among 18 teams. They have gone eight matches without victory in all competitions (one draw, seven defeats), and their three most recent losses came by scores of 4-0, 5-0 and 5-3.