Abidal ponders early retirement

Barcelona defender Eric Abidal has revealed that he may retire from football when his current contract with the Spanish giants expires in 2011.

The 29-year-old believes that he will no longer be able to play at his best at that time.

Abidal has been linked with several clubs recently, including French giants Lyon.

“I am thinking of quitting in 2011,” he told Le Parisien. “We are all different. [Pavel] Nedved is still playing at the age of 36, and Willy [Sagnol] has just stopped at the age of 31.

“As far as I’m concerned, I feel that my body is not responding as it used to, despite Barcelona’s [medical] staff’s quality.

“That’s an option, but at the same time, as a competitor, I know that I will have the desire to carry on. We will see.”

[Source: Le Parisien]