Rakitic says image is everything

“The way we played is more important than the number of goals we scored,” declared Ivan Rakitic on Barça TV's The Scoreboard after the team's 6-0 blowout victory over Granada. The Croatian midfielder was outstanding, scoring a fantastic header while playing a complete match which saw him receive a standing ovation when he was replaced in the second half. He expressed his sincerest thanks. "To come out of the game like that is something that I will be able to tell my daughter some day. It was definitely a special moment."

Rakitic is modest, and didn't boast about his fantastic goal that put Barça up 2-0. "It wasn't as difficult as the pass from Messi," which made it all happen. Rakitic also expressed his pleasure with having the opportunity to play next to Xavi. According to Rakitic, Xavi "is really impressive, a great captain. To be able to see everything he does is fun for me."

"That's why I'm here," he said. "Everyday I wake up with a smile, and nobody can take that away from me. Not even when times are tough."

The key to adapting

Now that he is a key piece of Luis Enrique's squad, Ivan Rakitic has revealed one of the secrets to his quick transition. "It was tough because it is a change and it's a little different. But I was lucky in that Unai Emery's philosophy in Sevilla wasn't all that different."

Now that the Granada match is over, the midfielder is already focused on the Champions League. “I always do my own analysis at home, and the next day I begin preparing for the next match." That match is in Paris on Tuesday.