Convinced Barca Can Still Win The Champions League Without Messi, Busquets: Anything Can Happen In Football

Sergio Busquets (Twitter @5sergiob)

JAKARTA - Sergio Busquets admits that Lionel Messi's departure from Barcelona was a "surprise," but believes his club still have a chance of winning the Champions League without the Argentine.

As is known, Barcelona was forced to release Lionel Messi from Camp Nou to Paris Saint-Germain in the transfer market this summer.

Even without the greatest player in the club's history, Busquets wants Barcelona to move on and try as hard as possible to win the Champions League trophy.

When asked about Messi's departure from Camp Nou, Busquets replied: "It was a shock, after all that Leo gave to Barca and personally to me."

"It is an accumulation of emotions that are difficult to digest, but we have to try to change the story. We are at the start of the season and we have to get used to playing without Leo," said the Barcelona captain, as quoted by Antara from Goal on Monday.

During his time with Barcelona, Messi helped the Catalan club secure four Champions League trophies with the last coming in the 2014-15 season.

Although Barca are not the favorite team to win this season, Busquets remains confident in his team's chances.

"Anything can happen in football. Chelsea won the Champions League last season and they are not the favourites.

"What matters is the collective level and we know that we don't have Leo or his individual qualities. We are here, excited and aware of his difficulties, but we have a lot of ambition and we want to win."

Barcelona is scheduled to face Bayern Munich in the opening match of Group E of the Champions League, Wednesday, September 15 in the morning WIB.