5 players you would only appreciate if they played for your club

The game of football often evokes the most inexplicit and, with a bit of a stretch, the most paradoxical set of opinions from fans, more or less testing the established limits of human perception. Of course, there is that chivalry, that sense of unity, that chorus of delirium reverberating from the terraces on match days. Everyone loves to revel in the joie de vivre that the game brings into their lives.But outside this hunky-dory realm, lies a darker side that never makes it to the papers – fans’ prejudice.Over the years the game has had its fair share of bad boys. You either hate them or are willing to run through a brick wall for their cause if they are playing for your favourite team. There lies the aforementioned prejudice. We are football fans. We reek of loyalty, we thrive on fidelity. Supporting our heroes is what we do when fate presents us with a state of perplexity.To give you some context, Eric Cantona was adored by Manchester United fans. But he was equally hated by the rest of the Premiership clubs and their supporters. Paolo Di Canio, Joey Barton, Paul Gascoigne – the list is pretty long.Keeping that in mind, we take a look at five such players who you would only appreciate at your own club. 

#5 Sergio Busquets

Barcelona’s star midfielder Sergio Busquets is one of the most underrated footballers on the planet. Vision, composure, awareness – the 27-year-old possesses all the hallmarks of a great defensive midfielder. But he is also one of the most hated. Brought in from Barcelona B by Pep Guardiola back in 2008, Busquets ousted the likes of Yaya Toure and Edmilson to establish himself as the chief anchor in the Catalans’ midfield.

But if you are not a Barcelona fan, chances are that you probably despise him for his history of on-field antics. Busquets’ predilection for drama first caught global attention back in 2010 in the UEFA Champions League. 

Barcelona were playing Inter Milan at the Camp Nou in the second leg of semi-finals. Busquets was competing with former Barca player Thiago Motta in the battle for midfield supremacy when Motta’s flailing arm caught Busquets in the face and the Spaniard went down like he had been shot.

The theatrics did not end there. He even indulged himself with a bit of a sneak-peek on the ground while appearing to be in excruciating pain.

The antic saw Motta sent off, subsequently missing the final. And Busquets’ name was tainted forever.