Former Croatian national team player Ivan Rakitić, who today works in the sports sector of Hajduk, was a guest on the Spanish radio show El Programa de Ortega. In the conversation with host Vicente Ortega, he touched on a number of current football topics, from Luka Modrić’s departure from Spanish football to his time spent in Barcelona.
Rakitić shared the midfield with Luka Modrić in the national team and even today, while Modrić plays in Milan, admires his abilities and career.
He is different from many. This is not a coincidence because he takes very good care of himself and prepares, and in the end, the one who works deserves it.
He is happy, satisfied, enjoying himself and that is the most important thing, that we too enjoy him as long as possible. His departure was a big mistake not only for Real Madridbut also of all Spanish football, because I think they should have insisted much more that he stay.
Given the situation in Madrid, I think the coach would be delighted to have him. I’m sorry because we don’t look at the identity card of the young players, but what Luka shows that football has no age. said Rakitić, writes Marca.
Memories of Barça and hunger for trophies
Rakitić was one of the key players of Barcelona, which won the last time in 2015 Champions League. He scored in the final that year.
I’m sorry that Barça has been waiting since 2015 to win the Champions League. I’m still convinced that we could have won a few more titles, but we didn’t because we didn’t know how to keep that hunger from the first season, he explained, also praising today’s Barcelona team:
I’m sure what happened last year with Inter has given them even more hunger for this season. The Barcelona team is complete different with and without Pedri. He really enjoys the game, reads it very well and knows what his team needs. He has everything to be better and better. We should enjoy him and not put extra pressure on him so that we can watch this amazing player, Rakitić said.
Sevilla, Luis Enrique and Messi
The former Croatian national team member also referred to the situation in Sevilla, a club to which he is particularly attached.
The most important thing is that every decision is the best for the club, whatever it is Sergio Ramos or someone else. Everything that is good for Sevilla is good for me. Sevilla is for life, I still enjoy and suffer with them and I can’t thank them enough, he pointed out.
About his former coach from Barcelona, to Luis Enrique, he had only words of praise.
He is the most important coach I have had. I am not surprised that he achieved in Paris, because if he can make the players listen to him, he gets results. It’s a pity that he didn’t stay longer with us in Barcelona. He is the best coach in the worldit is an incredible joy to watch PSG play.
Finally, Rakitic spoke about his former teammate Leo the Messiah.
Messi deserves honor in Barcelona, in Croatia, in Argentina, in Miami… He is the best in history. You don’t have to be a Barça or Inter Miami fan; if you like football, you like Leo. He is a boy who changed the way we see and understand football. I hope, please, that he doesn’t stop playing and continues for a few more years, Rakitić concluded.
(www.jabuka.tv)
