Barcelona legend Busquets to leave club

Sergio Busquets was showered with praise by the football world after announcing yesterday he will leave Barcelona in June at the end of his contract, ending a highly successful era at the club. "The moment has arrived to announce this is my last season at Barcelona,” said Busquets on Instagram. "It has been an unforgettable journey.”Busquets won the Champions League three times with Barcelona and La Liga on eight occasions before this season, with the Catalans set to triumph for the first time in four years. The 34-year-old has been a key player for Barca since breaking into the first team under then coach Pep Guardiola in 2008, becoming the club’s captain in 2021.Busquets is third Barcelona’s all-time appearance list, playing for the club on 718 occasions, lifting 31 trophies "It has been an honour, a dream, a pride. It has been everything to be able to defend and represent this badge for so many years, but everything has a beginning and an end,” said Busquets. "Although it has not been an easy decision, I think the time has come.”Barcelona coach Xavi Hernandez, who played with Busquets in midfield for several years, wanted the midfielder to stay next season, but said the decision was his. Busquets’ teammates past and present paid tribute to him on social media after he announced his future lay elsewhere. Lionel Messi, a close friend, wrote a heartfelt message on Instagram. "On the pitch you were always No 5, but in reality as a player and as a person, you are a 10, Busi,” said the Argentine playmaker. "Thank you for everything on and off the pitch.”Even rivals paid tribute, with Real Madrid midfielder Luka Modric saying: "one of the best players I have played against.”In his video, Busquets did not say where he might go next, with Spanish reports suggesting he may move to a team in Saudi Arabia. Busquets won the World Cup with Spain in 2010 and the European Championship in 2012, a key member of the national team for nearly 15 years until he retired from international duty in December. The midfielder was the only member of the 2010 World Cup winning team who was still part of the squad in Qatar in 2022 as Spain reached the last 16.