More than Lionel Messi: Underrated former Barcelona star Sergio Busquets is vital to Inter Miami’s MLS Cup hopes

Look at the biggest earners in MLS, a list released last week, and some of the key names won’t surprise you. Lionel Messi is at No.1. Federico Bernadeschi, Sebastian Driussi and Lorenzo Insigne (unfortunately) are among the top five. Olivier Giroud is in the among the highest overall earners despite playing just half a season for LAFC.

But the player at No.3 seems to go largely unacknowledged. Sergio Busquets, who takes home a handsome $8.8 million. The legendary former Barcelona midfielder, who spent 16 seasons with the team, is a winner of nine La Liga titles, three Champions Leagues and three major trophies with Spain. Despite all of those accolades, Busquets has largely remained out of spotlight with media and fan praise usually reserved for the likes of Messi, Xavi, Andres Iniesta, Luis Suarez among others while in Spain. Now, at the end of his first full campaign in Miami, Busquets finds himself in a similar situation: overlooked, underappreciated – yet handsomely compensated.

Inter Miami won the Supporter’s Shield this year, set a new MLS points record, and are clear favorites to win MLS Cup. A lot of the responsibility in pulling it off will fall on Messi’s shoulders. But operating there in the shadows, passing around in the background, is Busquets, the defensive midfielder-turned center back who could be the key if the Herons are to do what is widely expected and win their first MLS Cup.

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    Signed as a No.6

    Someone had to start this Inter Miami revolution. There was always some sort of sense that Lionel Messi would end up in South Beach, especially once a potential return to Barcelona failed to materialize. And when it became clear – outwardly or otherwise – some fellow former Blaugranas also made the move. Busquets was first. His departure from the highest level of football was slightly puzzling – if only because he had enjoyed a successful season for Barca, and seemed to have one more in him.

    Still, he moved to Miami all the same, and appeared to slot in nicely as the No.6 in a revamped system. The pieces were all here. Jordi Alba up and down the left. Busquets sitting, swiveling and passing. Messi offering the magic further up the pitch. There were some odd moments at first. Busquets seemed baffled, the first time he received a pass in MLS to turn and find that there was no immediate pressure on him. A defensive midfielder who had made a living out of playing out of tight spaces certainly had room to operate. That, of course, was far from a bad thing. Busquets impressed in his initial goings in South Beach. His pass completion percentage of 89.2 was its highest mark since 2020-21 at 91.2. And although he was playing fewer long passes than in his final round at Barca, he was a crucial, tidy presence at the base of the Miami midfield.

    On the other side of the ball, he was equally valuable. His tackle completion percentage of 64.9 was his highest since the 2019-20 season. And more broadly, the wide open spaces of frantic MLS games didn’t prove to be much of an issue – even for a defensive midfielderA

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  Versatility

  This year, though, things look different. Miami are a much changed team across the board. Suarez was, of course, the marquee arrival. But the addition of Julian Gressel to plug holes and the improvement of Diego Gomez in attacking areas have seen the Herons become a more complete unit. However, a series of injuries and international break forced absences have forced manager Tata Martino to get creative. At first, it was a question of reaching into his bench to bring the likes of Yannick Bright into the side.

  But over the summer, the former Barca boss has changed formation altogether, switching from an orthodox 4-3-3 to a back three system. The result has been Busquets used as a center back for the first time in his career.

  “I’ve had to play more as a central defender due to injuries, suspensions and many other things. And it’s not my natural position, but I also feel good, I think I can help the team and whatever the team needs, I’ll be available,” Busquets said.

  So far, though, it has been a reasonably effective switch. Busquets has started eight games as a center back. Miami won six of them, and held opponents to one goal or less in seven of them. It is not just the Spaniard’s presence there that has led to those defensive numbers – but he certainly hasn’t been a detriment to his side in an unfamiliar spot.

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  Some growing pains

  But it hasn’t been all plain sailing. On the contrary, Busquets has struggled at times. Miami can be frighteningly open on the break, and despite their record-breaking regular season, there are certainly defensive frailties that can be exposed by the right opponents. Busquets is not exempt from the blame there. Fundamentally, this is an age thing. Busquets was never a top athlete, and with him being 37, his lanky legs have started to slow further. He is not someone who can sprint back and forth in transition.

  “You have your risks when it comes to defending,” Busquets admitted. “Being the last one leaving spaces behind and it’s a matter of adapting.”

  The best example was a 6-1 drubbing at the hands of FC Cincinnati in July. Miami were all over the place defensively throughout the game, while the home side tore them to bits. Busquets, for his part, had to shoulder some of the blame for the result. he lost his man on the opening goal, was dribbled around too easily for the second and evaded for the third. He rounded it all off by talking his way into a second yellow card for dissent – leaving Miami to play with 10 men for the last 30 minutes.

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  “There’s no one like him”

  Still, that showing was mostly an outlier, and Busquets has only improved since then. There are some admitted perks to him playing in the middle of a back three. Busquets was at his best for Barca when dropping between split center backs and playing the ball forward. It was, perhaps, Pep Guardiola’s biggest impact on world football for years, redesigning the way a deep-lying midfielder could play. And as much as many have tried, no one can quite do it like Busquets.

  The issue was, getting into those areas required coordination, time and legwork. The patterns of play had to be there, the right triggers in place, the opponent stretched to the exact position in which a deadly turn and pass could spring an attack. Busquets doesn’t have those kinds of legs anymore. But what he does certainly possess is the kind of tactical nous to still operate from that position. And when playing in the middle of a three-man defence, he starts in that spot anyway. There’s nuance here, but in possession, Miami are effectively skipping a step.

  Martino has made this possible by deploying hard-working midfielders in front of the Spanish great. Bright, in his rookie season after a successful career at New Hampshire, is among them. And the numbers show just how impactful he has been. He is in the 93rd percentile among midfielders in tackles, according to stats site FBRef. He’s in the 98th for interceptions, 97th for blocks and 90th for clearances. He is exactly the kind of support act Busquets needs.

  “It’s really, really hard to play like him… If you try to play like him, you’re not going to be able to,” Bright told GOAL.

  He has played a valuable leadership role, too.

  “He explains to me where the ball should go, how to position myself, where the space should be, ll of that stuff,” Bright said.

  Martino pointed to that impact after Miami won a thrilling 3-2 encounter against another contender in the Columbus Crew.

  “He [Busquets] has plenty of capacity and intelligence, and whilst today he didn’t have as much time with the ball like he normally does in central midfield, he organized absolutely everything from the middle of the defense,” Martino said.

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  The key going forward?

  And Busquets might just be key in the coming weeks. Messi will undoubtedly be the focus of everything here – and rightly so. His production will make the difference going forward. They will, quite obviously, need help from Suarez in attacking areas too. If Alba fancies blasting one in from 25 yards again, Miami will have few complaints.

  But tying it all together in the middle is that one lanky Spaniard. He could play anywhere here. Martino now has something resembling a full-fit squad at his disposal. On the road, at Mercedes Benz Stadium, he might be inclined to use Busquets in the middle of a back three. His usual role as a No. 6 in a traditional 4-3-3 could also be on the table. One thing is clear, though Miami are lost without their big money defensive midfielder, a player who even when on the second biggest salary, playing in a league in which he is among the more recognizable names, still manages to be underrated. Busquets may not grab the headlines, but he might just make or break Miami’s MLS Cup hopes.