Exclusive Busquets interview: Defending with the ball is always much better

Sergio Busquets is one of the first names on the team sheet for Barcelona and Spain. On Friday, he can't play against Albania due to a suspension, but on Monday he will make his 100th appearance for La Roja in Israel. At 29, it shows his importance to the national team. 

The Barça midfielder spoke with SPORT from the Spain camp in Madrid. 

First, let me ask how everything is with what's going on with Pique? 

It's a difficult situation, but we're just focused on the sporting aspect of things. Against Albania we're playing for our place at the World Cup and winning these games would culminate a great year and a half of work. 

Has Lopetegui said to not make too many comments about Pique? 

In the dressing room, we spoke and we don't want distractions. It's a general feeling. We want to prepare in the best way possible for the game. 

Was the meeting between Pique and Sergio Ramos tense? 

The match with Albania is too important to talk about other things. Gerard's one more player in the squad, desperate to qualify for the World Cup. I don't think we have to go on about the issue and we're all aware of what we're playing for here. 

How have events in Catalonia affected things here at Las Rozas, with the general strike and protests? 

Obviously it was difficult what happened and it's a complicated situation, but we try to focus on our jobs and to keep to the side of it all. 

100 CAPS 

Let's talk about football. What will it mean to reach 100 caps in Israel? 

It will be really special. I'm excited. Getting booked in the last game stopped it happening against Albania, but I'm really looking forward to playing in Israel. It's an honour and it's really important for me. 

Do you feel better this season? Both with Barça and with Spain you're playing with more players in midfield... 

We play more compact and we leave less space between the lines. We're together on the pitch and we're working well as a collective. 

The best way to defend is to have the ball? 

Yes, defending with the ball is always much better. It's a plus which is good for us. The more passes you give and the more you combine, the more solid it makes you. Luckily, we have some great players to play this type of football. 

Even this season, with the national team, you've played without an out and out striker, in Guardiola's style... 

Maybe it's a system with which you lack a little depth, but we've shown it's a way of playing which can work, as was seen against Italy. 

MARKED MAN

On a personal level, do you feel more relevant than ever?

I have always felt important, but it's true that all the time you notice that more. You realise, for example, that the opposition get on top of you so that you touch the ball as few times as possible. 

Do you notice that they never talk about finding another Busquets, unlike with other players? 

It's a good sign, although it's also true that you can always be replaced. There are many ways to understand football and there are players with other characteristics that can play perfectly in my position. 

Playing with a double pivot would be a betrayal to the style?

There are a lot of ways to play and to improve. In the end, the style's marked by the players. 

Are the international breaks good or bad for club football? 

The problem, perhaps, could be for the guys that go to America, because as well as qualification games, they have long journeys, which come with jetlag. For them maybe it's more complicated than for us, who come here [to Madrid] and are delighted to be here and looking forward to playing. 

AtlEtico Madrid

Atletico are up after the break... the first big test of the season?

Maybe it will be the biggest test we've had, but we've also come through games against Juventus and Sporting Lisbon. Going to Atletico is always one of the most difficult games in La Liga, but we're happy with because we haven't dropped any points yet this season. So far, we haven't had a bad day and we came into this international break in good condition.