In 2008, Pep Guardiola became Barcelona manager, kicking off one of the most successful spells in the club’s history
Guardiola was promoted to the position having previously been in charge of the club’s B team, and decided to bring Sergio Busquets into the first team set-up with him.
Although the midfielder had clearly impressed Guardiola by this stage, the Manchester City boss has revealed that it didn’t take him long to get the seal of approval from Lionel Messi.
“I remember what Messi told me,” Guardiola told Universo Valdano.
“After two or three days of training with him, he came to me and said, ‘I like this one’. And I said, ‘When there is trouble, he will be there’.”
Busquets quickly established himself as a key player in the Barca team, operating in a slightly deeper role to fellow midfielders Xavi and Andres Iniesta. Now 30 and with an incredible 28 major honours to his name, he remains an important member of the Spanish champions’ team.
Busquets played in Barca’s last outing – an 8-2 thrashing of Huesca in La Liga. They have started the new season with three wins out of a possible three games and will look to continue their 100% record when they travel to Real Sociedad on Saturday afternoon.
