Xavi has no plans to bench Barcelona veteran duo this season – report | OneFootball

A recent social media movement has dominated has split the Barcelona fanbase into two when #BusquetsEnElBanquillo was seen all over Twitter as a means of expressing fans’ displeasure at the captain’s performances.

The tagline, literally meaning ‘Busquets on the bench’, was thought of as a movement to bring a popular opinion to the management’s eyes.

Despite the heavy influx of young midfielders into the first team this season, Sergio Busquets has remained a constant figure in the starting lineup. The veteran has remained solid in most outings, but his slow legs have attracted the attention of critics.

However, according to reports from AS, Xavi is satisfied by the performances of the heavyweights. Both Gerard Pique and Busquets tick the boxes the manager expects of them and are not under threat of being replaced until the end of the season.

The defensive midfielder has started 19 league games for Barcelona this season out of a possible 20, missing one due to suspension. However, his dismal first half show against Real Madrid caught the attention of critics, as his uncharacteristic dispossession led to Vinicius Jr’s goal.

The club are looking for a replacement for the Spanish National Team captain. With a like-for-like solution unavailable in the academy, the likes of Olympique Marseille’s Boubacar Kamara have been linked. However, such an operation will not be feasible until the summer.

Meanwhile, Gerard Pique has started 15 games for his club in La Liga 2021-22. However, as opposed to popular opinion, the centre-back has had an impressive campaign so far. With three clearances and 1.5 tackles per 90, he has led the Barcelona defence from the front.