Laporta: "I don't know what Busquets will do this winter but we want him to continue"

BARCELONA, 22 Dic. (EUROPA PRESS) -

The president of FC Barcelona, ​​Joan Laporta, assured that both he and the club and the first team coach, Xavi Hernández, want Sergio Busquets to continue in the team at least until the end of the season, although he added that they will respect the decision that take the midfielder.

"Xavi has Sergio Busquets and is in favor of him continuing. We want him to continue, if possible. It has been discussed if he now has offers from the MLS for the winter market. What Busquets considers will be fine. And the club will always will be at his side helping him", Laporta assured in an interview on Barça TV collected by Europa Press.

In this sense, he recognized that the contract ends in June and that the time to make the decision is short. "I don't know what will decide this winter, or if it will continue until the end of the season. We want it to continue, because Xavi has requested it. But he (Busquets) will decide and he will be well determined. But we all want it to continue. Sergio sometimes has the feeling that the time has come, but we all want it to continue", he stressed.

As for other midfielders on the team, he highlighted the good level of the Spanish internationals Pedri and Gavi, also key players in the last World Cup in Qatar 2022. "To reach the level of Xavi or Iniesta, Pedri or Gavi have to work hard and in they are," he acknowledged, however.

And, regarding Xavi, he assured that he is currently the best coach that Barça could have. "Xavi is the best coach in the world and it's wonderful to have him as a coach. He's optimistic, but with his feet on the ground. He's earned the confidence he says we have in him. He's respectful of the game model we want, because he did it as a player," he said.

"Xavi has exceeded the expectations we had with him. He knows the world of Barça perfectly, he puts all problems into perspective and always generates optimism. He never sees anything impossible. He has a very clear vision of the game, I have seen him very mature due to how young he is is and assuming a position as the first coach of Barça. I am delighted with Xavi and for me it is a pride to have him", highlighted the man from Terrassa.

In addition, he pointed out that Xavi's true project begins this year, without counting half of last season after joining the team with the departure of Ronald Koeman. "This year we have brought him the players he wanted. It is a two-year project, and we are confident that since he is a club man, he will look to the youth academy. We have high-quality players. We activate the levers to have a competitive team" he remembered.

"I am very lucky to have the best coach in the world. Xavi is very interesting to listen to, he is aligned with the club and we share moments together. I feel accompanied and supported by them, we have full confidence in his 'staff' and in his sense of of club", concluded on the matter.

The president, as he pointed out on Wednesday at Christmas lunch with the press, stressed that he is optimistic regarding the European ruling on the Super League. "European football has to be reformed. The Premier passes television rights from 5,000 to 7,000 million. In LaLiga from 2,000 to 2,700... This does not allow us to compete. This has to change," he argued.

"I hope that the resolution is of interest to the clubs. Positioning ourselves is out of courage, because we work to improve the competition and for the financial stability of the clubs, and to change the government model because in the football industry, the clubs are the that they get less revenue and this cannot be," he blamed.

"I am optimistic, I think that the judgment of the Court of Justice will have as important a meaning as the Bosman ruling. And this time it will be in favor of the clubs. Now, the clubs need the support of being able to manage and govern a competition, and we want to have ties with UEFA. I understand that it will be allowed to organize competitions, and it could be that an investment fund with unlimited resources would come and want to organize the competition. That's why we want to go ahead and make a European Super League together with UEFA", he pointed out.

In the purely sporting, he repeated that the priority is LaLiga Santander. "The elimination in the 'Champions' was a stick and it touched us, due to the form. We were confident that it would go very well, but our main priority is LaLiga and we are psyched up, the dressing room as well. We want the League and we have to focus all the 'culés' to win it. We have a young team and most of them have gone to the World Cup", he highlighted. "We want LaLiga and we need it," he declared.

"We are working to win a 'Champions' again. First, for Barça to continue with its partner-owned model. What made me become president again is to win the 'Champions' again. We want to win the League because that's how you play the 'Champions' and you have a team prepared to win it. We are convinced that we can win the 'Champions'", he was sincere.