Barcelona are keeping a close eye on Sergio Busquets’ development as a coach, with the former midfielder emerging as a potential candidate for an important role at the club.
Hansi Flick is currently leading the first team with some style, and his project very much seems to be in its early stages as things stand.
However, according to SPORT, Barcelona’s sporting department views Busquets as someone with the potential to take on greater responsibilities in the future.
Busquets begins his coaching journey at Barcelona
The former Barcelona captain is currently gaining coaching experience with the club’s reserve team, working alongside Juliano Belletti.
The arrangement allows Busquets to develop his understanding of coaching while remaining connected to the environment where he spent the majority of his playing career.
Sergio Busquets is learning the trade from Juliano Belletti. (Photo courtesy: FC Barcelona official website)
Barcelona believe his background and knowledge of the club could make him an interesting option for future responsibilities.
The club are also monitoring former midfielder Cesc Fabregas, whose impressive work at Como has placed him among the possible candidates to eventually succeed Flick.
However, neither candidate has been designated as the German coach’s replacement, and it is too early to be having those conversations.
Why Busquets could be an interesting option for Barcelona
Few former players understand Barcelona’s footballing identity as deeply as Busquets.
During his playing career, he was central to the team’s positional structure, controlling possession, anticipating danger and helping team-mates find space.
His understanding of positioning and midfield organisation would be particularly valuable in a club that continues to place considerable importance on technical intelligence.
Barcelona are making plans for life after Hansi Flick. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images)
There is also precedent. In many ways, Busquets was a very similar player to Pep Guardiola and could look to follow the same path.
There is also an emotional dimension to the possibility of Busquets eventually taking on a prominent coaching role.
Having a former captain involved in shaping Barcelona’s next generation is an idea that will always appeal to the football romantic.
Busquets still needs time to gain practical experience, develop his own methods and demonstrate his ability to manage players from the touchline.
It is still early days, but it is refreshing to see Barça already thinking about the future and how life after Hansi Flick might look.
While that scenario is unlikely to be anytime soon, the Catalan club are right to have a plan in place, and it remains to be seen how things pan out.