Barcelona coach Xavi has said that Sergio Busquets is still ‘essential’ to the club, even though the veteran midfielder is in the last six months of his contract.
Since 2009, Busquets has anchored Barcelona’s midfield; since 2020, he has served as club captain. However, he might depart as a free agent this summer, and Inter Miami has been widely linked to him.
The former Spain international, who will be 35 in July, recently said that he would prefer to know his future by February, but he has not ruled out remaining at Camp Nou or going on.
Xavi, who played with Sergio Busquets in Barcelona’s midfield until his departure in 2015, seems eager for him to remain for a little longer.
“From my perspective, he is a transcendent player for the squad, indispensable for the locker room. An illustration of sacrifice and leadership. He is irreplaceable, Barca’s manager declared last week.
“From a football perspective, he is the team’s balance; he dominates his teammates. When he is there and absent, you sense the difference.
“There is a difference between the defensive pivot with Busi and without Busi. We will always see him as a model, a standard. This one is comparable to Busi, but this one is not. Vital.”
If the Catalans are victorious in the Supercopa de Espaa, Busquets will earn the 31st title of his Barcelona career, and just his second as captain. If they win, they will play Copa del Rey champions Real Betis on Thursday and either Real Madrid or Valencia in the final on Sunday.
