Xavi reveals how Barcelona will move on from the 'best defensive midfielder ever'
By Sean Walsh
Barcelona head coach Xavi has called on the likes of Pedri and Gavi to fill the hole that Sergio Busquets will leave.
Busquets confirmed this week that he will be departing Barca at the end of the season, bringing down the curtain on a glittering 15-year spell in the club's first team.
Speaking at a press conference ahead of Sunday's trip to Espanyol, Xavi hailed his former team-mate as one of the game's greatest ever players.
"He's the best defensive midfielder I've ever seen. Not being nominated for the Ballon d'Or, for me it was an injustice," Xavi passionately declared.
Barcelona had been tipped to replace Busquets with Real Sociedad's Martin Zubimendi, but he recently played down the prospect of a move to Camp Nou. Other reports have suggested that Frenkie de Jong is viewed as the long-term successor to the 34-year-old.
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But Xavi name-dropped young starlets Pedri and Gavi to be the ones to lead Barça into a 'new era'.
"We are working on forming a new [era]. I hope players like Gavi, and Pedri, can even go beyond us, that is life, that is sport," he said. "I hope they can surpass us, I hope. There's a very good batch, home-grown players and midfielders especially.
"I hope they follow in Busquets' footsteps and can achieve as much success as he has, a new era is beginning."
Barcelona will win La Liga with a victory at rivals Espanyol on Sunday or if Real Madrid and Atletico Madrid both drop points earlier in the weekend.
The title would be Busquets' 32nd and final trophy for the club.
90min understands that Busquets is likely to head to the Saudi Pro League, though he also has interest from Inter Miami in MLS.
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