We will see Busquets on the bench – Guardiola backs Barca star to be boss

Pep Guardiola has tipped Barcelona great Sergio Busquets to follow him into coaching.

Busquets made his landmark 500th appearance for the Blaugrana during last weekend’s 1-1 draw against LaLiga title rivals Atletico Madrid.

Guardiola handed the Spain international his first-team break at Camp Nou, having also coached him while in charge of Barcelona B during the 2007-08 season.

Busquets went on to make Guardiola’s old position at the base of the Barca midfield his own and the Manchester City manager feels the 30-year-old has a future in the dugout.

“I was a lucky guy,” Guardiola said, reflecting on his time working with Busquets ahead of the Premier League champions’ match against Bournemouth on Saturday.

500 – Sergio Busquets will become the 7th player to reach 500+ appearances for Barcelona in all competitions and the third midfielder, after Andrés Iniesta (674) and Xavi Hernández (767). Masia. pic.twitter.com/iudSQcNM96

— OptaJose (@OptaJose) November 24, 2018

“I would not say it was easy because in the position he started to play, he won that position in front of [Yaya] Toure. That’s why Toure came here to play here.

“At the end it was not complicated because we were together the year before in the fourth division in the second team.

“We knew what he could do and after that it belongs to him. What he has done in his career is because he is so clever, so good.

“He has to be so proud. Playing 500 games at Barcelona is not easy. Hopefully he can play many, many more years but he is not a teenager anymore.

“Sooner or later he will become a manager. We will see Busquets on the bench.”