FC Barcelona assembled a legendary attacking trio that etched its name in history: Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar. Despite their extraordinary talent, the team struggled to establish complete dominance in Europe, suffering defeats that undermined their ambitious sporting project. Ivan Rakitic, a pivotal force in the midfield during that era, recently shed light on why the team didnât secure more UEFA Champions League victories.
âI am convinced that Leo (Messi), Luis, Ney, Busi, AndrĂ©s, PiquĂ© and the rest of us would like to give each one of us a good slap in the face because I have said it many times with all my respect: âWe have let ourselves downâ. Thatâs why I said before that the figure of Xavi in that first season was very important⊠Without him, all those details he had under control slipped through our fingers along the way⊠we could have won three or four Champions League titles,â Ivan Rakitic said, via Diario Sport.
Xavi Hernandezâs departure from FC Barcelona at the end of the 2014-15 season marked a turning point for the clubâs dominance. He joined Al-Sadd in Qatar, where he played four more seasons before retiring. After losing him, Barcelona struggled to maintain control in midfield, despite signing players like Arthur Melo and Philippe Coutinho to fill the gap. Unfortunately, neither player met expectations, leaving the team directionless for several seasons.
When did FC Barcelonaâs Champions League decline start?
Following Neymarâs departure in 2017, Barcelonaâs competitiveness in the UEFA Champions League began to decline. Under head coach Ernesto Valverde, the team struggled to recapture its former dominance, suffering significant setbacks such as the shocking defeat to AS Roma in 2018 and the dramatic loss to Liverpool in 2019.
Kostas Manolas of AS Roma celebrates after scoring his sisdes third goal UEFA Champions League Quarter Final Second Leg match between AS Roma and FC Barcelona at Stadio Olimpico on April 10, 2018 in Rome, Italy.
Even though legendary players like Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez, Gerard Pique, and Andres Iniesta continued for a few additional years, the squad never recaptured the brilliance they previously exhibited. Remarkably, it has now been a decade since Barcelona last clinched the coveted European title.
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Ivan Rakitic makes bold confession about playing with Lionel Messi at FC Barcelona
During their time at FC Barcelona, Ivan Rakitic and Lionel Messi played together in 277 matches, making the Argentinean star the teammate with whom Rakitic shared the most time on the pitch throughout his career. Together, they contributed to 27 goals, the highest combined total in their careers. Reflecting on his experiences with the Argentine superstar, Rakitic recently revealed an intriguing detail about Messiâs character.
âHe didnât even know the capacity he had to impress people with his presence. That is also the nobility he has. Because I always told him: âLeo, you donât know what you can do with a gesture to a teammate. You canât imagineâ. Many of us are here, of course, because we love Barça, but also because we love being in a team with you,â Ivan Rakitic confessed, via Sport.
