Sports director of FC Barcelona from 2018 to 2020 alongside President Josep Maria Bartomeu, Eric Abidal then lived a few difficult months. The former French international (67 selections from 2004 to 2013, finalist of the 2006 World Cup) was heard by the French police in December 2021 in the Kheira Hamraoui case. After the violent assault suffered by the former midfielder of the Blue, the intimate relationship between Hamraoui and Abidal during their respective passage in Barcelona was revealed in the open and the player's wife, Hayet Abidal then asked for divorce.
Since then, the native of the Rhône (trained in Lyon-La Duchère and triple champion of France with OL) has taken care of his five children by trying to reset with his partner, devoting himself to several races on foot, as in February 2024 with the Orange team alongside Robert Pirès and Hervé Mathoux.
Abidal Sports Director
The finalist defender of the 2006 World Cup with the EDF finally found a position. Abidal was appointed sports director of Al Wasl to the United Arab Emirates. “Abidal will be responsible for the strategy, management, development of young people and club academies abroad. In addition, he will collaborate with the steering committee to attract talent and represent the club during conferences, both at local level and during international meetings ”specifies the club based in Dubai.
Champions of the Emirates in 2024, Al Wasl finished 5th in the first phase of the Champions League Elite (the name of the Asian C1) before being eliminated in the knockout stages by al-Sadd (2-4 in the cumulative), 10 days ago. The team led by Serbian coach Milos Milojevic, where the former Messin Geronimo Poblete evolves, has just beat 1-0 the Al Jazira of Nabil Fekir and Neeskens Kebano in the first leg of the Emirian League Cup.
