Ex-Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic gives take on Real Madrid’s European success – ‘It’s easy to explain’

Madrid – Ivan Rakitic has never been shy about airing a forthright opinion, and the former Barcelona and Sevilla midfielder has now offered a measured, if blunt, assessment of Real Madrid’s latest Champions League escape act, insisting Los Blancos’ progression past Manchester City was neither fluke nor fate but the logical reward of sound work.

Speaking exclusively to Diario AS, Rakitic, 36, reflected on a turbulent period in Andalusia – “a complicated couple of years” at Sevilla – while urging Barcelona’s emerging generation to keep expectations grounded. Yet it was Madrid’s last-16 triumph over Pep Guardiola’s City that dominated the conversation, a tie many observers labelled an upset once the draw was made.

“Surprising… yes and no,” Rakitic said. “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 favourite. Sure, if you look at the teams, City might seem superior. But for me, Real Madrid was the clear favourite. They have a very strong, very extensive history in the Champions League. In that sense, it doesn’t surprise me.”

The Croatian World Cup runner-up admitted the 3-3 first-leg stalemate at the Bernabéu had caught him off guard, and he pointed to the second-leg red card shown to City defender Riyad Mahrez as the hinge moment that tilted the balance Madrid’s way. “Everything went their way, regardless of the fact that they were ahead in the tie,” he noted, adding that City’s anxiety allowed Madrid to “play the way they like, waiting for mistakes.”

Rakitic flatly rejected the popular notion that Madrid’s continental sorcery is beyond explanation. “No, well, it’s not inexplicable. For me, it’s very easy to explain. When you do things right, you get results. And Real Madrid is doing many things very well. 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.”

The conversation inevitably turned to Xabi Alonso, the former Madrid midfielder whose shock January departure still resonates across Spanish football. Rakitic called Alonso’s exit “a real shame” and praised the Basque coach as “one of the most important coaches in football history,” expressing hope that he returns to the dug-out soon.

Madrelistas now turn their attention to a league visit to RCD Mallorca this weekend, depleted by injury and suspension, before welcoming Bayern Munich for the first leg of a blockbuster quarter-final. Rakitic, for one, will not be betting against them.