EXCLUSIVE: Guillem Balague talks to Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic about playing with Lionel Messi

Ivan Rakitic completed one of his dreams by joining Barcelona. He’s a very happy man, it isn’t often you’ll see his face without that trademark smile. “I arrive at the training ground really, really happy. It’s a dream of most children to be a professional footballer so you have to enjoy it.”

The biggest name he currently shares a dressing room with, Leo Messi, is arguably the greatest player of all time. One thing that strikes you after listening to Rakitic’s experiences of Messi is how remarkably similar the two are. When asked what the first thing he said to the little Argentinian was he said, laughing, “Nothing special! It was really important for me to be a big part of this family, not only with Leo. The dressing room is like a big family.”

He believes it to be privledge to play alongside Leo but says that there is nothing different about him off the pitch compared to anyone else at the club. “He has his seat, I have my seat. I take my coffee, he takes his coffee and that’s it! We talk a little bit about our private life, some normal things. We train together, go to the gym, have a shower and go home. Nothing really special.”

However despite Messi being just another guy around the training ground that all changes once he walks onto the pitch. “Then he’s anything but a normal guy! He’s different, there’s only one Leo Messi. Not only now, but in the history of football. We are really happy to have him in our team. I think every club wants to have him but we’re lucky to have him – it’s really special to play alongside him.”

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Rakitic left Basel at the age of 19 and moved to Germany where he signed for Schalke. Leo Messi famously came over from Argentina at the tender age of 12 to join Barcelona’s La Masia and when asked if Rakitic would allow, in theory, a child of his to make a similar long distance move, he laughingly says “No. I don’t know, you have to analyse the moment and it’s a big dream to be part of the football club at Barcelona.”

A lot of youngsters are desperate to come to Barcelona and learn their trade here, something which also influenced Messi himself, no doubt. “If you have this dream and you have your head clear, you can do it – why not?”