Sergio Busquets has begun a new chapter at Barcelona, returning to the club as an assistant coach with Barça Atlètic under Juliano Belletti. The former midfielder joined the reserve team’s staff on August 17, 2026, while continuing his coaching education. His appointment is therefore an established development, rather than a new announcement this November.
Busquets, now 38, returned three years after leaving Barcelona’s first team and following the conclusion of his playing career at Inter Miami. The club described his role as an opportunity to contribute his experience and football knowledge while completing his coaching course. It marks his first step into coaching, rather than an immediate appointment to lead a team.
Learning the Profession While Developing Players
Working alongside Belletti gives Busquets practical experience of coaching within a familiar football environment. Barça Atlètic, Barcelona’s reserve side, competes in Spain’s fourth-tier Segunda Federación and provides a setting for developing players as they progress towards senior football. The role allows Busquets to support that development while learning the daily responsibilities of a coaching staff.
His return creates a link between the club’s playing heritage and its next generation, but his coaching career remains at an early stage. November reporting indicated that he still lacked the qualification required to take charge of a team, despite discussion about whether a future youth-team vacancy might offer him a route into management.
A New Role, Not a Predetermined Succession
Busquets brings the experience of 15 seasons in Barcelona’s first team, but success as a player does not establish what he will achieve as a coach. His current position is built around development—both the reserve players’ progress and his own preparation for a possible future as a head coach.
Reports have suggested that figures within Barcelona see long-term managerial potential in him. Those assessments remain possibilities, not a formal plan for him to succeed the first-team coach. For now, his confirmed responsibility is to assist Belletti and complete his training, beginning a different kind of contribution to the club where he built his reputation.
