I need to play, not just enjoy walks around the city and the beach, says Ivan Rakitic
Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic has expressed his frustration of not being selected in the team and seems to be losing patience after clocking just 187 minutes on the pitch till now. Rakitic has found it difficult to enter the team after Frenkie De Jong signed for Catalan giants for £75 million.
Ivan Rakitic has said he is frustrated due to the lack of playing time this season. Rakitic was an integral and trusted player last season for coach Ernesto Valverde but this term Valverde seems to desert the Croatian and give the starting role to Frenkie De Jong. Rakitic has been restricted to only six off the bench appearances for Barcelona. As reported by the Daily Mirror, Rakitic is currently on international duty and has told that he may look for options if his situation doesn’t improve before January.
“It's tough because I want to play and not just be part of the team. I will do everything possible to change my situation. I have two years left on my deal and there's no better place to play than Barcelona. It's the best club in the world, but I need to play and not just enjoy walks around the city and the beach,” Rakitic told Croatian media outlet 24sata.
During the summer transfer window, Rakitic was wanted by a number of clubs. Juventus were one of the many clubs interested in him. Cristiano Ronaldo also called and convinced Rakitic to join the Old Lady. However, the Serie A champions couldn’t match Barca’s asking price. Rakitic joined La Liga giants in 2014 and produced brilliant performances for the club. The 31-year-old has spoken to club President Jose Maria Bartomeu and club captain Lionel Messi regarding his future at the club.
“I spoke with people at the club everyone knew I had other options. I want to fight so that the team see me ready to deliver on the pitch. I want to thank the fans for the affection they showed me this weekend, but if nothing changed, we will have to sit down and talk about my situation again,” added Rakitic.
In his sixth season with Barca, Rakitic has managed 274 appearances and scored 35 goals. Once an untouchable in the team now Rakitic spends most of his time on the bench and could soon be seen leaving Camp Nou if his situation doesn’t improve.
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