Barcelona need signings but not because of Supercopa loss, says Busquets

Sergio Busquets admits that Barcelona need to make more signings but insists the necessity has not been increased by their Supercopa de Espana first-leg loss to Real Madrid.

Ernesto Valverde’s side were beaten 3-1 by the LaLiga champions at Camp Nou on Sunday in a thrilling encounter that gives Zinedine Zidane’s side the advantage in the tie.

Lionel Messi cancelled out Gerard Pique’s own goal before substitute Cristiano Ronaldo scored Madrid’s second and was then sent off for two bookable offences, the first for removing his shirt in celebration and the second for diving under pressure from Samuel Umtiti.

Marco Asensio struck a brilliant third in the dying minutes to seal a deserved win for the visitors, though, who are now in a commanding position ahead of next Wednesday’s return game at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Barca are poised to complete the signing of Paulinho from Guangzhou Evergrande Taobao but, although he would welcome additions to the squad, Busquets does not feel Sunday’s result proves that they need to invest more in the transfer market, having lost Neymar to Paris Saint-Germain.

1 – Gerard Pique is the first Barcelona player to score an own goal in El Clasico in the 21st century (all competitions). Misfortune. pic.twitter.com/qExt3f5Ewa

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) August 13, 2017

“The team doesn’t need signings because of this result,” he said, as quoted by Mundo Deportivo. “We need them because you have to renew things.”

“It’s very difficult but we go to the Bernabeu with the intention of coming back. We don’t look for excuses.”

Barca general manager Pep Segura added that the defeat would not influence their actions in the final two weeks of the transfer window.

“It’s a disappointment for all the fans,” he said. “It’s a situation in which we have shown in the past that we have the ability to go to the Bernabeu and win.

“A result doesn’t determine the planning on the sporting side. In the first half, we gave a very good impression. The own goal from Pique hurt us a lot.”