Ivan Rakitić has shared his thoughts on Real Madrid’s continued dominance in the Champions League in an interview with AS, backing Los Blancos and insisting their success is no accident.
The former Barcelona midfielder revealed he had tipped Real Madrid to overcome Manchester City, despite many viewing the English side as favorites on paper.
“After they drew City, I said to watch out for Real Madrid. Many of my friends in Spain told me I was crying a little… (laughs). For me, Real Madrid was the favorite.
Sure, if you look at the teams, City might seem superior. But for me, Real Madrid was the clear favorite. They have a very strong, very extensive history in the Champions League. In that sense, it doesn’t surprise me. What did surprise me was the result of the first leg. And in the second leg, especially with the sending-off, everything went their way, regardless of the fact that they were ahead in the tie.”
Rakitić pointed to Madrid’s ability to control key moments and capitalize on opponents’ mistakes as a defining factor in their success.
“Real Madrid were able to play against City the way they like, waiting for mistakes and playing on their opponent’s anxiety about the result, because those little details that don’t go your way can happen. We’ll see what happens now.”
He also rejected the idea that Real Madrid’s European success is difficult to explain, arguing instead that it is the natural result of doing things the right way.
“No, well, Real Madrid’s success in the Champions League is not inexplicable. For me, it’s very explainable. When you do things right, you get results. And Real Madrid is doing many things very well. I understand that there are many divided opinions about Arbeloa, about Real Madrid, about their style of play, and everything, but there it is. And it’s not a coincidence. Nobody goes to Real Madrid because they’ve been given things. When you do things right, football rewards you. And when you don’t do things right, football doesn’t reward you.”
Rakitić also took time to speak about Xabi Alonso, expressing disappointment that the Spanish coach’s time at Real Madrid was short-lived.
“Yes, that really makes me sad that Xabi Alonso didn’t work out at Real Madrid. I would have loved to see Xabi stay at Real Madrid longer, especially in La Liga. It’s not about being a Barça, Real Madrid, or Sevilla fan anymore. It’s a real shame because, for me, he’s still one of the most important coaches in football history. I’m sure he’ll do well wherever he goes. I understand the pressure at big clubs; he did very well at Leverkusen and they gave him the Real Madrid job pretty quickly. I hope he comes back as soon as possible. I’d love to see and learn more from Xabi the coach.”
