Sergio Busquets urges Barcelona to maneuver on from Messi exit as Bayern await

Barcelona are nonetheless digesting the shock of shedding Lionel Messi however will not be but counting out the prospect of an unlikely tilt for the Champions League, captain Sergio Busquets mentioned forward of Tuesday’s assembly at residence to Bayern Munich.
Bayern dished out Barca’s worst ever European defeat little greater than a yr in the past once they thrashed the Catalans 8-2 within the quarter-finals of the 2019-20 competitors, resulting in Messi first declaring his intention to go away.
Messi’s departure for Paris St Germain got here a yr later as a result of membership’s colossal monetary issues, regardless of the participant rowing again on his pledge to go away and getting ready to take a 50per cent pay lower.
“It was a shock given everything Leo did for Barca and for me,” midfielder Busquets instructed a digital information convention on Monday.
“We felt a number of sensations which were difficult to digest but we have to try and move on. We’re only at the start of the season and we have to get used to playing without Leo.”
Barca have undergone radical modifications since that seismic defeat by Bayern in 2020, parting not simply with Messi but in addition Luis Suarez, hapless coach Quique Setien after which president Josep Maria Bartomeu.
Busquets conceded to being badly affected by the humiliating defeat however pressured the crew have made progress beneath coach Ronald Koeman.
“It was difficult to accept, but that’s how football is. Some time has passed and we’re confident things are going to be different,” he added.
Barca suffered their earliest exit from the Champions League in 14 years once they had been knocked out by PSG within the final 16 final season and expectations in Europe’s prime competitors have been additional lowered by Messi’s departure.
But Busquets mentioned the membership had been on target beneath Koeman.
“We’ve had to deal with some difficult situations in the last year with a lot of changes at all levels of the club and he (Koeman) was brought here to make those changes and has had a big impact,” he mentioned.
“Anything can occur in soccer. Chelsea received the competitors final season once they weren’t favourites at first.
“The important thing is how we are as a collective and now we know we don’t have Leo nor his individual brilliance. We’re excited and aware of the difficulty but we’re very ambitious and we want to win.”
Barca have seven factors from three video games in LaLiga and loved a weekend off as Saturday’s match with Sevilla was postponed as a consequence of South American gamers returning late from World Cup qualifiers.
Bayern have 10 factors from their opening 4 Bundesliga video games and have scored 12 targets of their final three fixtures, profitable 4-1 at RB Leipzig on Saturday.