Inter Miami suffered a shock blow in the MLS play-offs after losing 2-1 against Atlanta United, with Sergio Busquets missing for the Herons.
The legendary Spanish midfielder had not been seen in training all week leading up to this Saturday’s post-season clash in Georgia, with Busquets suffering from early-stage pneumonia and a fever away from the field.
Although Inter Miami still had Diego Gomez, Federico Redondo and Yannick Bright to call-upon in the midfield, the latter was hooked off at half-time after suffering from a suspected injury at Mercedes-Benz Stadium.
And a timeframe has now been set on when Busquets will return for Inter Miami.
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Busquets set for MLS play-off return later this week
According to the Miami Herald, the veteran Inter Miami star will be back in action later this week ahead of next Saturday’s decisive play-off tie at Chase Stadium against Atlanta, who will be riding high after this weekend’s win.
With Atlanta’s Dax McCarty saying they would not fear Inter Miami, the Five Stripes showed just that, with the hosts giving the Herons an excellent game and coming away with a 2-1 win thanks to a last-minute winner.
Yet with Busquets set to return to action for Inter Miami for next weekend’s third and final series match, the midfielder could be key in the Florida franchise booking their ticket to the next round of the play-offs.
And given how experienced Busquets is in huge games, the 36-year-old superstar might be the difference for Inter Miami, who last night were lacking that senior figure in the midfield.
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How important has Busquets been this season for Inter Miami
With Matt Doyle hailing Busquets as Inter Miami’s most important player this season, the former FC Barcelona metronome has been nothing short of influential for the Herons this year in MLS.
| Sergio Busquets 2024 Inter Miami stats | Games played | Goals | Assists |
| MLS | 30 | 1 | 4 |
| CONCACAF Champions Cup | 4 | 0 | 1 |
| Leagues Cup | 4 | 0 | 0 |
| MLS play-offs | 1 | 0 | 0 |
| Total | 39 | 1 | 5 |
Having adapted into a center-back role under Tata Martino, Busquets’ career has taken an unexpected turn in Florida, with Inter Miami’s results since the change speaking for themself.
And although Busquets looks like a player of his veteran age, the midfielder is still as important as he has been, with Inter Miami’s system reliant on the former Spanish international’s quality and understanding of the game.