Legendary Barcelona midfielder Sergio Busquets feels that while Man City are widely regarded as favourites in the Champions League final next month, he knows from experience not to discount Inter Milan.
Speaking to Milan-based newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport, via FCInterNews, the 34-year-old gave his thoughts ahead of the final.
The Nerazzurri find themselves facing a team who many consider to be the very best in Europe. That team, Manchester City, are coached by Pep Guardiola.
The last time Inter met a team coached by Guardiola was in 2010.
That team was Barcelona. The Blaugranas, like City are now, were widely regarded as the best team in Europe.
However, Inter won their semifinal tie against that imperious Barcelona team as underdog. They went on to beat Bayern Munich in the final that season.
Busquets was a key cog in that Blaugranas side. In fact, the Spanish midfielder was at the centre of one of the tie’s most infamous incidents.
During a challenge with Inter midfielder Thiago Motta, Busquets went to ground after a swinging arm by the Italian. Many saw the Barcelona midfielder’s response as highly exaggerated. However, it was enough to get Motta sent off.
In any event, Busquets feels that, having already felt what it’s like to get beaten by Inter, the Nerazzurri should not be underestimated against Man City next month.
Busquets: Don’t Underestimate Inter Vs Man City
Busquets was also part of a Barcelona team that got dumped out of this season’s group stage by the Nerazzurri.
Xavi’s men were regarded by many as favourites to progress from the group, which also contained Bayern Munich.
However, the Nerazzurri were able to get a win and a draw to move on, relegating Barcelona to the group stage.
Busquets remarked, “Everyone thinks City will win, but watch out.”
“First, because anything can happen in a final, and that’s not just a cliche.”
“And secondly, and this is even more important, when you play against a team like Inter who have such a precise, identified, and well-tested system, with five defenders, three midfielders, and two forwards, everything becomes very difficult.”
“Inter closes down space very well,” Busquets noted.
“In midfield they’re very organized, and they get help from the forwards. I say this from experience, because we played them twice this year and suffered,” he noted.
“Inter may not create many chances, but they play with two forwards against two centre-backs, and when they get into that situation, I see Inter as capable of hurting City. Anything can happen.”
Busquets also looked back to the elimination at the hands of Inter in 2010.
“It testifies to the fact that in a one-off match, I’m thinking of the return leg at the Camp Nou in particular, even the team who were considered by everyone to be the best in Europe, can be stopped, and eliminated.”
“With experienced, quality, highly-motivated players,” he said of what got the job done for Inter.
“They had their own way of playing, which was no better or worse than ours,” the 34-year-old looked back.
“It was their idea and they applied it to the fullest” Busquets concluded.
