Iniesta extends contract with Barcelona until 2015

MADRID (Reuters) - Barcelona have agreed a one-year contract extension with Spain midfielder Andres Iniesta which ties him to the club until 2015, the European champions said on their website (www.fcbarcelona.com) on Friday.

The buy-out clause in his contract has risen from 150 million euros ($223.9 million) to 200 million euros ($298.5 million).

Iniesta, 25, came up through the Barcelona youth system and made his first-team debut in October 2002. He has gone on to become a fixture in midfield for club and country.

The quiet, unassuming playmaker earned himself a special place in the hearts of Barca fans with his stunning last-minute equaliser against Chelsea in the Champions League semi-final last May that booked the Catalans a place in the final on away goals.

He has won three La Liga titles, two European Cups and a King's Cup with Barca, and also helped Spain to be crowned European champions in Austria and Switzerland last year.

Iniesta is the seventh player to have renewed his contract with Barca this season after Yaya Toure, Victor Valdes, Pedro, Lionel Messi, Carles Puyol and Eric Abidal.

(Writing by Mark Elkington, editing by Justin Palmer; To query or comment on this story email sportsfeedback@thomsonreuters.com)