Oriol Busquets

Oriol Busquets Mas (born 20 January 1999) is a Spanish professional footballer who plays as a defensive midfielder for Primeira Liga club Arouca.

Oriol Busquets
Personal information
Full nameOriol Busquets Mas[1]
Date of birth (1999-01-20) 20 January 1999 (age 25)
Place of birthSant Feliu, Spain
Height1.85 m (6 ft 1 in)
Position(s)Defensive midfielder
Team information
Current team
Arouca
Number14
Youth career
2007–2017Barcelona
Senior career*
YearsTeamApps(Gls)
2017–2021Barcelona B66(2)
2017–2020Barcelona0(0)
2019–2020Twente (loan)21(0)
2021–2022Clermont9(0)
2021–2022Clermont B2(0)
2022–Arouca42(0)
International career
2014–2015Spain U168(1)
2015–2016Spain U1713(1)
2017Spain U182(0)
2016–2018Spain U194(0)
2019Spain U211(0)
*Club domestic league appearances and goals, correct as of 21:54, 19 May 2024 (UTC)

Club career

Barcelona

Born in Sant Feliu de Guíxols, Girona, Catalonia, Busquets joined FC Barcelona's youth setup in 2007 at age 8, after a successful trial.[2] After progressing through the ranks, he made his senior debut with the reserves on 29 April 2017, while still a youth, coming on as a late substitute for Alberto Perea in a 2–0 Segunda División B home win against AE Prat.[3]

Busquets played his first game as a professional on 19 August 2017, starting in a 2–1 away victory over Real Valladolid in the Segunda División.[4] His maiden appearance for the first team came on 29 November, when he started and played 62 minutes in the 5–0 defeat of Real Murcia CF in the round of 32 of the Copa del Rey.[5]

On 9 February 2018, Busquets sustained a serious knee injury in a training session, tearing the meniscus in a fashion similar to fellow youth graduate Rafinha a year earlier.[6] Having returned to active, he scored his first senior goal on 1 December of the same year in a 2–2 home draw with Valencia CF Mestalla.[7]

On 27 August 2019, Busquets joined Dutch Eredivisie club FC Twente on a one-year loan deal.[8] His maiden appearance in top-flight football took place on 1 September when he replaced compatriot Javier Espinosa for the final 15 minutes of a 3–1 home win against FC Utrecht, where fellow Spaniards Aitor Cantalapiedra (Twente) and Adrián Dalmau (Utrecht) also scored.[9]

Clermont

On 28 August 2021, Busquets signed with Clermont Foot on a three-year contract.[10] He played his first Ligue 1 match on 19 September, five minutes in the 1–1 home draw with Stade Brestois 29.[11]

Busquets made only ten competitive appearances during his spell in France.[12]

Arouca

Busquets moved clubs and countries again in summer 2022, joining F.C. Arouca from Portugal on a three-year deal; Clermont did not require any compensation to release him from his contract, but did retain 35% of the player's rights.[13]

International career

Busquets won his only cap for Spain at under-21 level on 6 September 2019, playing the entire 1–0 win in Kazakhstan for the 2021 UEFA European Championship qualifiers.[14]

Personal life

Busquets' older brother, Pol, was also a footballer. He played as a goalkeeper, and both he and their father Jordi were developed at Barcelona.[15][16]

Career statistics

As of 17 May 2021[17]
Appearances and goals by club, season and competition
ClubSeasonLeagueCup[a]EuropeOtherTotal
DivisionAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoalsAppsGoals
Barcelona B2016–17Segunda División B2020
2017–18Segunda División220220
2018–19Segunda División B301301
2020–2112[b]11[c]0131
Total66210672
Barcelona2017–18La Liga0010000010
2018–190010000010
Total0020000020
Twente (loan)2019–20Eredivisie2102000230
Career total872400010922

Honours

Barcelona

Spain U17

References