Bad news for Real Madrid

It was a successful season for Barcelona this past year, and coach Ernesto Valverde will hope to maintain the balance created in his squad to sustain that success moving forward.

Albeit their Champions League exit was a red mark against the campaign, the domestic double was certainly a reason to cheer and be content with Valverde’s first year at the helm.

While Andres Iniesta has left to join Vissel Kobe, the last thing that the Catalan giants need following on from that is to suffer any more damaging setbacks in terms of exits.

The club icon naturally wasn’t as influential as he has been over the years as he entered the latter stages of his career, but the quality that he continued to display coupled with his experience and leadership would undoubtedly have made him a key figure in the dressing room.

The emphasis on other senior players providing those same qualities will now be bigger, and so with Calciomercato reporting that Radio Catalunya have suggested Sergio Busquets is set to sign a contract renewal, it will surely be music to the ears of supporters.

The Spanish international’s current deal expires in 2021, and so there wouldn’t have necessarily been a panic to get a new agreement in place.

Nevertheless, it will be a relief that he will be tied to Barcelona for the foreseeable future, assuming a deal is officially announced, with Calciomercato adding that an announcement is potentially on its way this week.

Busquets, 29, has been with the club since 2005, coming through the youth ranks to make 482 appearances for the senior side. In that time, he’s won seven La Liga titles and three Champions League trophies among many others.

In turn, he will be a vital part of Barcelona and Valverde’s plans to maintain their success and a contract renewal could be a great way to kick start the summer. And if this isn’t bad news for Madrid, what is?

In the last 10 years, Barcelona has dominated the league, winning the league for 7 times, while Real Madrid has won it just twice. See list below: