Sergio Busquets has returned to Barcelona to embark on his coaching career, joining the staff of Barça Athletic — the club's reserve side currently competing in Spain's fourth tier, the Segunda Federación — according to ESPN.

The 38-year-old former midfielder will serve as part of manager Juliano Belletti's coaching team while he completes his formal coaching qualifications.

A reunion with familiar surroundings

Busquets is no stranger to the reserve setup — he made 25 appearances for Barça Athletic as a teenager after joining the club's academy in 2005, before breaking into the senior squad under Pep Guardiola.

He went on to become one of the most decorated players in Barcelona's history, making 722 appearances for the Catalan club. Only Lionel Messi and Xavi Hernández have represented the club more times. During his time at Camp Nou, he claimed nine LaLiga titles and three UEFA Champions League trophies, among numerous other honours.

Internationally, Busquets earned 143 caps for Spain and was a member of the La Roja squads that lifted the World Cup in 2010 and the European Championships in 2012.

Miami chapter before the return

After departing Barcelona, Busquets signed for Inter Miami in 2023, reuniting with close friends and former Camp Nou teammates Lionel Messi, Jordi Alba, and Luis Suárez. He made 116 appearances for the Florida club, contributing to back-to-back silverware — the Leagues Cup in 2023 and the MLS Cup in 2025 — before hanging up his boots.

The challenge ahead

Barça Athletic once competed in Spain's second division as recently as 2018 but have since fallen two levels. Belletti and Busquets share the dual objective of guiding the reserve side back to the third tier while nurturing the next generation of talent for Barcelona's first team.