MLS
Sergio Busquets outlines the keys to Inter Miami success
The Spanish midfielder is dreaming of making history in MLS but emphasised the strength and the depth of the league.
Inter Miami’s 2023 campaign ended in disappointment as the team failed to make the playoffs despite an impressive run of form in the second half of the season. Their mid-season turnaround was inspired by the arrivals of Lionel Messi, Sergio Busquets and Jordi Alba in the summer.
The Herons won the Leagues Cup, the first piece of silverware in franchise history, but the ex-Barcelona trio was unable to dominate in MLS. With the 2024 season now just weeks away Sergio Busquets spoke to reporters at the MLS Media Day and outlined his ambitions for the new campaign. Inter Miami have added former Liverpool and Barcelona star Luis Suárez to the roster but Busquets made clear that they are taking nothing for granted ahead of their first full season in the league.
“Although we are players who have had a lot of success we come here to compete. We have to be a solid team, beyond the names,” Busquets said. “Now we have had a good pre-season we need to work on being a solid team; try to concede less, especially in defense.”
The Spanish midfielder acknowledged that the 2023 season had not ended as they had hoped, adding that the turbulent nature of the mid-season changes made it difficult: “The arrival of the Tata [Martino, head coach] was a change for everyone. I think we adapted [but] we were not able to adapt 100%, and that is why this pre-season can be closer to what we want.”
“[MLS] is very good league, much better than what people think and perhaps, like all leagues, there are teams that can define their own way of playing. We would like to be a team that has control, that is well positioned, and that is attacking a lot. In general it is a league with a lot of back and forth.”
Busquets confident of Suárez impact
After a promising end to 2023 Inter Miami are looking to seize the initiative and build on the progress made. The club is expected to be busy in the transfer market in the coming weeks as they look to fortify the squad for an assault on MLS Cup.
The most high-profile of the signings will almost certainly be Suárez, who arrives after a successful spell in Brazil with Gremio. The Uruguayan forward played alongside Messi, Busquets and Jordi Alba in Barcelona’s historic treble-winning 2014/15 team and his arrival could add real cutting edge to a Miami side that struggled to finish chances last year. Busquets told reporters that he had spoken to Suárez ahead of the move and revealed that the 36-year-old is eager to join up with the rest of the Miami squad.
“We have talked, he is very excited. I also want to play with him again. Everyone knows what we expect, he is a great forward. He has scored goals throughout his career. The last one was in a difficult league, in Brazil, and he was the best player. He scored many goals and assists. Hopefully he can do what he has always done his entire career,” Busquets added.
Suárez’s arrival is also a chance for the four former Barcelona players to reunite after leaving Spain. They spent six years together at Camp Nou, winning four LaLiga titles and the Champions League. Busquets said that values Suárez as a close friend as well as a teammate.
“I´m happy to be able to meet again after several years. Not just to share the field with him as a player, but also to bring all the families together again.”