Xavi: Sergio Busquets is an essential piece of our project

Xavi was clear on Sergio Busquets’s role. After a week where the hashtag ‘Busquets on the bench’ trended, Xavi was asked about it.

“When there aren’t good results, we get criticised, me too,” he said. “He’s an essential player, he knows he made a mistake against Madrid. But we have to all improve to play the best we can. He’s a key piece in our project. If the midfield block is together then he’s the best player in the world in his position.”

The coach was not surprised by the debate though. “There are a lot of injustices. At Barcelona there have always been critics and debates. It’s a question of performance and it’s normal. It’s the pressure we suffer day to day. There was also debate with him in 2010 with Spain and in the end we were world champions and he was essential. We have to grit our teeth, there’s no other way but working.”

Busquets is likely to start against Athletic; Xavi considers him a key player still.