Busquets has hesitated a lot between continuing one more year in his club of all his life or doing as other legends did in his day.
He has decided to leave Barcelona on a high, with the captain set to lift the LaLiga title for the first time in three years as early as this weekend whilst also know that he is leaving everything in place for his succession after his departure.
One of the best players in the history of the club is leaving for good after 18 years. He arrived at Barca in 2005 and, after playing two seasons in the Juvenil A, he moved up to Pep Guardiola's Barcelona B to become a key player in the promotion of the reserve team to Segunda B. With the commitment that has always characterised him, he gave it his all to end up making his official debut with the first team in 2008 in a league match against Racing Santander and by the end of the season he had become an established player.
Since then, Busquets has emerged as a key player in the dressing room and two seasons ago he became captain of the first team. After two years with the armband, he says goodbye to the club with an impeccable career, a trophy cabinet full of titles and an unmistakable game. A legend with a long career.
Busquets' history at Barca has undoubtedly been a masterclass in football. He became one of the best defensive midfielder in the world, the player from Badia del Valles has stood out for his elegant technique and brilliant tactical reading. Although it is not his main role, the 'number five' has contributed 18 goals and 40 assists. On the other hand, he is also the player in history with the most Clasicos played and with the most victories against the eternal rival Real Madrid with 48 duels played and 23 wins.
With all these attributes, the Catalan has played 718 games in the Barca shirt and is the player with the third-most appearances in the club's history. In addition, he is also in the select club of Barca players with the most titles. With 31 trophies, he is once again the third-most titles at the club, with eight LaLiga titles, seven Copa del Reys, seven Spanish Super Cups, three Champions League crowns, three European Super Cups and three Club World Cups.
The Last Dance
After this announcement, Busquets faces the final stretch of the season and the last moments with the iconic Barcelona shirt. This season, the midfielder has continued to play a key role under Xavi.
With 2,087 minutes played, he is up there as a player with the most minutes played this season, spread over a total of 27 games in which, apart from developing his role as a playmaker, he has generated four goal assists.
To close his last season and put an end to his career at the club, the Barcelona captain has the opportunity to finish in the best possible way, extending his trophy cabinet and lifting a trophy for the last time: the 2022/23 league title.
