FCBARCELONA.CAT

23.05.2009 11:29

Busquets: from Rotterdam to Rome

Aleix Santacana

On May 15, 1991 Carles Busquets made his Barça debut, in the Cup Winners Cup Final against Man United in Rotterdam of all games. 18 years and 12 days later, his son Sergio will be playing the same side in a final, this time in Rome.

Manchester United unite a father and son. The Busquets family will always be associated to the English giants, with an 18 year gap in between. Carles and Sergio spoke to Barça TV and www.fcbarcelona.cat about their memories and expectations.

May 15, 1991: fury

The Cup Winners Cup final ended in defeat. Two Mark Hughes goals made it 2-0, and Koeman’s effort only offered consolation. Carles Busquets was playing his very first official match for Barça. “I remember being furious for not winning. We dominated the game and were capable of winning it. It was my first official match and I was very nervous in the build-up. But once the game got under way, I forgot about that” said Carles Busquets.

Sergio Busquets remembers nothing about that match. He was only two years old at the time. “I have seen the goals, but nothing else, I was very young” he said.

Build up to Rome

The Barça player says he is taking things easy in the days before the trip to Rome. “I have spent time with my friends and family, trying to charge the batteries. The less time there is to go, the more we are thinking about the game.” His father continued “he has been doing the same as he has done until now. The only thing that has changed with respect to last year is that now he’s in the first team. Everything else is the same”.

May 27, 2009: even match

Both expect a tight encounter in the Olympic Stadium. “I think it’ll be a nice game. For me, they’re the best two teams in the world and either side can win”, said the former goalkeeper. His son agrees. “It will be very tight, with nice football. We have as compete a squad as they do. They might be a bit better in the air, but we play the ball around on the floor more and that might be the difference. Whoever makes the fewest mistakes will win”.

He went on to say “their biggest danger is counter attacks, they have some very fast men and they’re also dangerous from set pieces. If we can control that, we have every chance of winning. We have to play our own game”.