Carles Busquets

Carles Busquets Barroso (Catalan: [busˈkɛts];[1] born 19 July 1967) is a Spanish former professional footballer who played as a goalkeeper, mostly for Barcelona.

In this Spanish name, the first or paternal surname is Busquets and the second or maternal family name is Barroso.
Carles Busquets
Personal information
Full name Carles Busquets Barroso
Date of birth (1967-07-19) 19 July 1967
Place of birth Barcelona, Spain
Height 1.81 m (5 ft 11 in)
Position(s) Goalkeeper
Youth career
1981–1983 Ciutat Badia
1983–1985 Barcelona
Senior career*
Years Team Apps (Gls)
1985–1988 Barcelona C 31 (0)
1988–1992 Barcelona B 55 (0)
1990–1999 Barcelona 79 (0)
1999–2002 Lleida 108 (0)
Total 273 (0)
National team
1983 Spain U16 3 (0)
* Senior club appearances and goals counted for the domestic league only

Club career

Born in Barcelona, Catalonia, Busquets was a FC Barcelona graduate who joined from neighbouring CD Ciutat Badia[2] and possessed very good technical skills for a player in his position,[3][4] and he made his La Liga debut for the first team on 7 November 1993 in a 2–1 home win over Racing de Santander,[5] going on to appear in the following two games. However, he was mostly back-up for Spanish international Andoni Zubizarreta during his first years; he did manage to feature in the 1990–91 European Cup Winners' Cup final in a 1–2 loss against Manchester United, with two goals from Mark Hughes.[6]

Busquets totalled 69 league matches in two seasons after Zubizarreta left for Valencia CF,[7] and was also on goal in the 4–0 thrashing of Manchester United in the group stage of 1994–95's UEFA Champions League,[8] but during this period Barça failed to win any silverware. The following campaigns he was again second choice, first to Portugal's Vítor Baía then Dutchman Ruud Hesp, and also clashed with new manager Louis van Gaal.[9]

Until his retirement in October 2002, Busquets played a further four seasons with neighbouring UE Lleida, spending two apiece in Segunda División and Segunda División B.[10] He joined Barcelona's coaching staff afterwards, and worked with the goalkeepers.[11][12]

Playing style

Originally a forward at the start of his career until he had to replace an injured goalkeeper, Busquets notably excelled in footplay. Branded by French newspaper L'Équipe as the goalkeeper with no hands,[13] he has been considered as a forefather of this type of play.[14] His style was dismissed by some as less suitable for football than for handball.[15]

Busquets' reputation of being nearly unbeatable in these situations tended to be overshadowed by his occasional baffling blunders.[13][16] However, he was able to keep the number of goals he conceded below the number of games he played in 1995–96, his final season as Barcelona's first choice, and retrospectively Johan Cruyff considered him as one of the club's most secure goalkeepers in the modern era.[17]

Busquets wore tracksuit trousers instead of shorts while playing, even during hot weather. This picqued the attention of the public to the extent that some fans speculated that he was trying to hide a scar, burn or tattoo.[15] He explained that after getting used to wear them in training he decided to use them in matches as well, as he felt safer from knee injuries that way.[18]

Personal life

Busquets' son, Sergio,[19] also a product of Barcelona's youth system, was promoted to the main squad for 2008–09, playing as a defensive midfielder. He reached the national team the following year, winning the 2010 FIFA World Cup in South Africa as a starter.

Honours

Barcelona

References
  1. "How to pronounce Carles Busquets". Forvo. 12 October 2008. Retrieved 18 October 2015.
  2. Gran diccionari de jugadors del Barça. Jugadors oficials i no oficials de tots els temps [Great dictionary of Barça players. All-time official and unofficial players].
  3. Serra, Josep María (22 July 1990). "Busquets: de vocación... ¡ariete!" [Busquets: by calling... striker!] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  4. Sanchis, Alberto (24 June 1997). "Estoy bien en el Barça. Es mi casa" [I feel fine in Barça. It is my home] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  5. Artells, Josep María (8 November 1993). "'Busi', un extraño en la familia" ['Busi', stranger to the family] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  6. Ross, James M. "Cup Winners' Cup 1990–91". RSSSF. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  7. Galindo, Jesús (29 August 1994). "Busquets coge confianza" [Busquets gaining in confidence] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  8. "Barcelona 4–0 Man. United". UEFA. 2 November 1994. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  9. Muntañola, Esther (22 June 1999). "Me ha faltado al respeto" [He disrespected me] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  10. "Busquets llora en su despedida como futbolista" [Busquets cries in farewell as a footballer]. El Mundo (in Spanish). 16 October 2002. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  11. "Busi ya imparte lecciones de portero" [Busi already giving goalkeeping lessons] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). 26 July 2003. Retrieved 10 July 2014.
  12. "Carles Busquets, nuevo entrenador de porteros del Barcelona" [Carles Busquets, new Barcelona goalkeeper coach]. 20 minutos (in Spanish). 18 July 2010. Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  13. Visa, Lluís (8 May 2001). "Busquets, puños fuera" [Busquets throws a fist]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  14. "Sergio: Busisolutions II". Sport (in Spanish). 24 October 2008. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  15. Casado, Edu (26 February 2008). "Qué fue de... Busquets" [What happened to... Busquets]. 20 minutos (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  16. "Ter Stegen y la trituradora de porteros del Camp Nou" [Ter Stegen and the Camp Nou's goalkeeper-eater]. La Vanguardia (in Spanish). 22 May 2014. Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  17. "Todo empezó con el hombre sin manos" [It all started with the man with no hands] (in Spanish). En un Momento Dado. 20 August 2014. Retrieved 6 January 2021.
  18. Serra, Josep María (12 May 1991). "La promesa de Busquets" [Busquets' promise] (PDF). Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 7 January 2021.
  19. Martín, Luis (26 May 2009). ""Tú, tranquilo; ya me pondré nervioso yo"" ["You, be cool; i'll be nervous for two"]. El País (in Spanish). Retrieved 20 January 2012.
  20. Domènech, Joan (29 June 1997). "Barça de titanes" [Titanic Barça]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  21. Astruells, Andrés (30 October 1991). "Cruyff ya tiene su cuarto título" [Cruyff already has his fourth title]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  22. Domènech, Joan (12 November 1992). "El Barça juega como quiere en el Manzanares" [Barça play at will at the Manzanares]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  23. Aguilar, Francesc (31 August 1994). "El Barça paga un precio muy alto" [Barça pay a heavy price]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  24. Serra, Josep María (29 August 1996). "Título con súper-susto" [Title with mega-scare]. Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish). Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  25. "Sampdoria 0–1 Barcelona". UEFA. 20 May 1992. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  26. "1996/97: Ronaldo spot on for Barça". UEFA. 14 May 1997. Archived from the original on 3 May 2010. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  27. "1992: Goikoetxea wins it for Barcelona". UEFA. 1 April 1993. Archived from the original on 31 August 2010. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
  28. "1997: Barça in command". UEFA. Retrieved 16 February 2015.
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