Many observers did not consider Real Madrid favorites to advance past Manchester City in their Champions League quarter-final clash, especially with a subsequent draw against Bayern Munich on the horizon. However, former Barcelona star Ivan Rakitic believes their progression was not as surprising as some might have perceived.
In an interview with Diario AS, Rakitic expressed optimism regarding his former club, Barcelona, and the promising future of their young squad, while advising them to approach European competitions match by match. He also acknowledged that Sevilla had experienced a ‘complicated couple of years’ but emphasized the importance of trusting the club’s established structure.
When asked about Real Madrid’s success against Pep Guardiola’s Manchester City, Rakitic stated that he consistently viewed Los Blancos as the favorites to go through.
“Surprising… yes and no,” Rakitic remarked. “After the draw with City, I warned everyone to pay attention to Real Madrid. Many of my friends in Spain joked that I was ‘crying a little’ (laughs). But for me, Real Madrid was the favorite. Sure, if you look at the individual teams, City might appear superior. Yet, in my opinion, Real Madrid was the clear favorite. They possess a very strong, very extensive history in the Champions League. In that sense, it doesn’t surprise me. What did surprise me was the outcome of the first leg. And in the second leg, particularly with the sending-off, everything went their way, regardless of the fact that they were already ahead in the tie.”
He continued, “Real Madrid managed to play against City in their preferred style, waiting for mistakes and exploiting their opponent’s anxiety about the result, because those small details that don’t go your way can happen. We’ll now see what transpires against Bayern.”
Real Madrid’s European Success: An Easy Explanation
When discussing Real Madrid’s general knack for navigating Champions League ties successfully, and whether this ability was ‘inexplicable’, Rakitic dismissed any notion of mythology surrounding their European performances.
“No, it’s not inexplicable,” he stated definitively. “For me, it’s very easy to explain. When you do things correctly, you get results. And Real Madrid is consistently doing many things exceptionally well. I understand there are many divided opinions about Arbeloa, about Real Madrid, about their style of play, and everything else, but the outcome is clear. And it’s not a coincidence. Nobody achieves success at Real Madrid without earning it. When you do things right, football rewards you. And when you don’t do things right, football doesn’t reward you.”
“I Would Have Loved to See Xabi Alonso at Real Madrid Longer”
Rakitic then turned his attention to Xabi Alonso, expressing a heartfelt wish regarding the Basque manager’s career path.
“Yes, that truly saddens me,” Rakitic confessed. “I would have loved to see Xabi remain at Real Madrid for a longer period, especially in La Liga. At this point, it’s no longer about being a Barcelona, Real Madrid, or Sevilla fan. It’s a genuine shame because, in my view, he remains one of the most important coaches in football today. I’m confident he’ll do well wherever he goes. I understand the immense pressure at big clubs; he performed exceptionally well at Leverkusen, which quickly fueled talk about him potentially taking on a prominent role like the Real Madrid job. I hope he returns to the spotlight as soon as possible. I’d love to observe and learn more from Xabi the coach.”
Following these remarks, Real Madrid were scheduled to travel to face RCD Mallorca that weekend, dealing with significant player absences, before preparing to host Bayern in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
