FC Barcelona players set to receive a downgrade in FIFA 18

3) Sergio Busquets

Sergio Busquets looked like a shadow of the player who dictated Barcelona’s play in earlier seasons

The often underrated Sergio Busquets has been a part of all-conquering Barcelona and Spain sides for the better part of a decade now. One of the best midfielders in the game and on the FIFA platform, the central defensive midfielder was the best specialist CDM in the game. Like the rest of the Catalan squad, Busquets too came off a brilliant 2015-16 season where they won the La Liga but performances tapered off in the last season.

The Spaniard looked a shadow of himself in a season where the Barcelona midfield failed to impose itself on opposing teams like it once used to. The range of passing and vision that characterised Busquets’ gameplay went missing last season and saw him hardly justify his FIFA rating of 87.

Barcelona, especially in the past few years have been known for their possession and dominance of the ball but haven’t been able to show the same in the last two years under Luis Enrique. Busquets’ languid gameplay has been somewhat hampered by the direct style Luis Enrique is trying to establish at the Nou Camp. With such style constraints and a subdued season in midfield, Busquets’ rating is expected to go down to a level of around 84-85.