350 games for Sergio Busquets with FC Barcelona
Against AS Roma, the midfielder reaches another landmark in his career as a blaugrana
Seven years and two months after making his first team debut in a 1-1 draw with Racing Santander on 13 September 2008, Sergio Busquets has made it to 350 official appearances for FC Barcelona after starting tonight’s game with AS Roma.
The son of Carles Busquets, the Barça goalkeeper of the 1990s, he first started shining in the youth ranks of Catalan club UE Lleida, where his father spent his last three years as a pro. It soon became clear that football ran in the family, and at the age of 17 he became part of the Barça academy, where his father was now part of the coaching staff.
Three years later, and he was making his first team debut, and just a month after that he scored his first goal in the 5-0 defeat of Basel in the Champions League. At first he was used as back-up for Seydou Keita and Yaya Touré, but it soon became apparent that he was the perfect player for Pep Guardiola’s methods, and by the end of the season, he was walking onto the field for the Champions League Final against Manchester United.
Sergio's stats
| Liga | Ch Lge |
Cup | Span. SC |
Eur. SC |
Clubs WC |
TOTAL | |
| 08/09 | 24 (1) | 8 (2) | 9 (0) | / | / | / | 41 (3) |
| 09/10 | 33 (0) | 10 (0) | 4 (0) | 2 (0) | 1 (0) | 2 (1) | 52 (1) |
| 10/11 | 28 (1) | 12 (0) | 5 (0) | 1 (0) | / | / | 46 (1) |
| 11/12 | 31 (1) | 10 (1) | 8 (0) | 1 (0) | 1 (0) | 1 (0) | 52 (2) |
| 12/13 | 31 (1) | 8 (0) | 4 (0) | 2 (0) | / | / | 45 (1) |
| 13/14 | 32 (1) | 9 (1) | 5 (1) | 2 (0) | / | / | 48 (3) |
| 14/15 | 33 (1) | 10 (0) | 4 (0) | / | / | / | 47 (1) |
| 15/16* | 12 (0) | 4 (0) | 1 (0) | 1 (0) | 18 (0) | ||
| TOTAL | 224 (6) | 72 (4) | 39 (1) | 9 (0) | 3 (0) | 3 (1) |
*Current season // In brackets, goals
Joining the legend
‘Sergio’ as he has always preferred to be known, was now being mentioned in the same breath as Xavi Hernández and Andrés Iniesta as part of what many hailed as the best midfield of all time, while also dropping to centre back or playing in a more attacking position when required.
By now he was an automatic choice in any Barcelona starting XI, and has remained so ever since. As he also has been for the Spanish national side since he took over from Marcos Senna as the key holding player in Vicente del Bosque’s scheme –playing an important role in Spain’s victorious World Cup 2010 campaign in South Africa.
As the years have progressed, and the trophies have been accumulated, Sergio Busquets is now being hailed by many as the finest player in the world in his position. And with 350 official appearances and counting, and a contract with the club until June 2019, it looks like he’ll be adding considerably to that tally in the future!
from News at FCB http://ift.tt/1Tdhqnf
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