Copa Del Ray: Athletic Club knocks Barcelona out to reach semis
It was another disappointment for Barcelona, as the club was expecting to go to the Copa del Rey semifinals for the second straight season.
One of the many legends of the Barcelona Football club Andres Iniesta has urged the club not to sell out of favour star Ivan Rakitic. He has also stated that although the Croatian may be struggling to be in the starting XI at the moment but can play a crucial role in future for Barcelona.
“In Frenkie de Jong and Arthur, I find two exceptional players, with a lot of weight on the field,” Iniesta said as quoted by Marca.
“They have an idea of how to play the game. They control the time, the ball, the situation. Surely they have a great connection with each other within the team,” he added.
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“With Busi [Sergio Busquets], Ivan [Rakitic] and all the others also playing in the middle, Barcelona’s midfield looks good.”
“I would not allow Rakitic to leave, if I were a part of their team. I personally consider him a great player. What he has been doing all this time has been magnificent,” he further elaborated.
“This year he is not having the prominence he had before but that does not mean that he is not a great player,” he concluded.
There are widespread speculations that Rakitic will part ways from the club either during the forthcoming January transfer window or during the summer transfer window. Rakitic has in fact been linked with many teams like Manchester United, AC Milan, Inter Milan, Juventus and Paris Saint Germain (PSG).
Notably, after a series of under-par performances at the end of last season, Rakitic has not been the preferred starter for manager Ernesto Valverde.
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