Sergio Busquets says goodbye to Barcelona: "It was not an easy decision, but the time has come"

"The time has come to announce that this will be my last season with Barca," Sergio Busquets, 34, revealed in the video published by Barcelona on their social networks. After pondering it for months, the Barça captain had a plan devised. He had communicated this to the president Joan Laporta and, of course, to his agent Josep Maria Orobitg. "I don't follow," he had told them. On the other hand, he had not said a word to his teammates or to the coaching staff. His plan was to communicate it to everyone this Wednesday morning before training at the Ciutat Esportiva Joan Gamper. And so he did. However, his decision did not surprise anyone in the Barça dressing room. Everyone had already learned from the press that after 15 years in the first team, 719 games (he could reach 724 if he plays the five duels that remain to Barça in the League) and 31 titles, Busquets leaves Barcelona. Their future, however, is still unknown. They tempt him from Saudi Arabia, while Inter Miami does not want to get off the bid for the pivot. And, in their environment, they do not rule out the Premier League.

Carlos Busquets and his son, Sergio Busquets (left), after a league match of the 96-97 season.

Sergio Busquets, during a match against Racing de Santander at the Camp Nou, in September 2008.

Sergio Busquets, during a training session with FC Barcelona, in October 2008.ENRIC FONTCUBERTA

Busquets clears a ball under pressure from Betis player Ricardo Oliveira in February 2009. CRISTINA QUICLER (AFP)

Hleb, Messi, Busquets and Piqué celebrate the Copa del Rey title at the Mestalla stadium in May 2009.Vicens Giménez (© Vicens Giménez)

Sergio Busquets controls the ball during a Copa del Rey match against Real Madrid in January 2012.CordonPress (imago sportfotodienst /Cordon Pr)

Iniesta gives Busquets the captain's armband in a Champions League match between Barcelona and Belarusian Bate Barisov in November 2015.Vicens Gimenez ((c) Vicens Gimenez)

Busquets snatches the ball from Real Madrid player Cristiano Ronaldo, during a league match held at the Camp Nou, in 2016.Alejandro García (EFE)

Busquets and Raúl García fight for the ball in Barcelona (2)-Athletic Bilbao (3), in the final of the Spanish Super Cup at the La Cartuja stadium in Seville, in 2021.

It happened, in any case, that Xavi Hernández did not want to lose Busquets. "He is one of the best midfielders in world football and the best defensive midfielder in the history of Spain," he reflected. For the coach, in any case, Busquets was much more than a symbol. He was the thermometer of the Barça game. "It's fundamental for us," he insisted. It was on the field and also outside. "He has a lot of ancestry in young people," Xavi concluded.

While Xavi insisted that he stay, Busquets' agents negotiated with the football management the renewal of his contract that expires on June 30. Barcelona's offer was 30% of what the pivot currently charges. The intense search of the club to reduce the uncontrolled expenses is not alien to the salary mass of the first team or its captains. "We have tried to lower the salaries of some players, but we have not succeeded," Laporta had said in the last assembly after negotiating with Busquets, Jordi Alba and Piqué. "We have some off-market salaries, players with these chips are impossible to transfer to other clubs. The big goal is for these salaries to disappear," added Mateu Alemany, then Barcelona's director of football, that same day. Pique retired from football in the winter transfer window and Busquets decided not to continue at Barça. But he won't forget the ball.

🥺 Barça legend. #5ergioUnic pic.twitter.com/qxC4kHxOKe

— FC Barcelona (@FCBarcelona_es) May 10, 2023

One of the first options presented to Busquets was MLS. Inter Miami has long been following in the footsteps of the pivot, as well as his friend Lionel Messi. The offer, in any case, is on standby. The player is not convinced by the idea of emigrating to the United States, the salary is not too tempting, much less the lifestyle. "He's going to spend the year on top of a plane. You have a game in Los Angeles, another in New York, then you have to travel to Canada. They are many hours of flight, a long time away from home, "they commented from the environment of the footballer. On the way appeared Saudi Arabia. According to Mundo Deportivo, there are three teams that want him: Al-Shabab, coached by Spaniard Vicente Moreno; Al-Nassr, a team in which Cristiano Ronaldo plays; and Al-Hilal, the institution that offered Lionel Messi 400 million euros per season. Pep Setvalls, one of Busquets' agents, travelled to Riyadh this week to hear offers. "In England there is a coach who also wants him. We'll see", they add from the player's environment.

Busquets is still unclear about his fate. But his goodbye to Barcelona. And although it was not as he would have liked – he wanted to be the one to communicate it to his companions – this Wednesday he stood in front of the group to explain his decision. "I want to thank all the people who have made it possible to live all this from the first day to the last. Club workers, physiotherapists, doctors, props, delegates, communication, managers, presidents, coaches, staff, analysts, physical trainers and especially my teammates, with whom I have shared thousands of hours of coexistence, jokes, talks, training, matches, sadness, celebrations ... Being from Barça is the best there is," Busquets concluded. He has already left the national team, now also Barcelona. His legacy, in any case, will live on. This is how Xavi understands it: "He is a player who has made history, a legend". The club thinks the same. "Legend of Barça. #5ergioUnic," Barça said goodbye to him on their social networks.

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