Ivan Rakitic proves a vital cog to Barcelona's success

A couple of years ago, the idea of Barcelona buying a central midfielder was inconceivable. This was the side that boasted the World Cup, European Championship and Champions League winning trio Xavi Hernandez, Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets.

Furthermore, waiting in the wings were Cesc Fabregas and the upcoming Tiago Alcantara with Javier Mascherano more than able to slot in ahead of the back four. Six world-class players worthy of any top European side.

Six world-class players who could never all fit in a midfield trio.

Mascherano bypassed the problem my making the centre back spot next to Gerard Pique his own. Fabregas was tried in other positions too with his stint in a “false nine” position blowing hot and cold for both country and club.

In the end, Tiago moved on to anchor the Bayern Munich midfield while Fabregas was sold to another European heavy-weight in the form of Jose Mourinho’s Chelsea. These moves undoubtedly strengthened Barcelona’s European rivals at a time when Xavi was reaching the twilight of an impressive career and Iniesta starting to show strains of exhaustion.

And this is where Ivan Rakitic came in.

Barcelona fans let out a collective moan as the Croat was brought in from Sevilla to do a job many deemed Fabregas and Tiago to be much better at. After letting go of two star players of their own, Barcelona went knocking at Sevilla, a side mostly known for their Europa League exploits, to strengthen their once formidable midfield.

The former Schalke 04 midfielder wasn’t even the most acclaimed midfielder in his country with Luka Modric of eternal rivals Real Madrid having just led the Galacticos to La Decima.

Still, Luis Enrique’s remit to the new €18 million man was clear – provide the legs and work-rate in midfield that were drifting away from the skipper, Xavi. In the aforementioned trio, Busquets is widely seen as the one who breaks play and keeps things ticking, Iniesta is the master of dribbling and finding the right pass in the final third and Xavi is the engine making things happen in attack while hustling and bustling to win the ball back.  Xavi was seen as the personification of tiki-taka – instant pressing to win the ball back and short passes to control the tempo while searching for gaps in the opposition lines.

A treble-winning campaign with Xavi at the periphery and Rakitic at the very heart of it has well and truly rubber-stamped the changing of the guard at the Nou Camp. Luis Enrique, who seemed destined for the sack a few months ago, and his team had got it right!

The 27-year-old has excelled with his passing skills and attacking endeavour being only second to his altruism and work-rate. Liverpool midfielder Jordan Henderson recently said the following about Rakitic:

“He doesn’t get the praise given to Neymar, Messi or Suarez but he’s so influential and does all the dirty work. He has qualities I can learn.”

Having contributed to 22 La Liga goals (12 scored & 10 assists) for Sevilla in the previous campaign, Rakitic has continued his rich vein of form in the final third. This time round, he was the author of eight goals and eight assists in a star-studded Barca squad in just 38 starts in all competitions.

His showing in the final against Juventus was a microcosm to his whole season. It was his No. 4 shirt that filled our screens as he opened the scoring; not Messi, not Suarez, not Neymar. Right spot, right time – one shot one goal. What followed then was an industrious performance that helped Barcelona conquer the midfield and allow the forwards ahead to weave their magic. Only Jordi Alba in a Blaugrana shirt bettered Rakitic’s seven ball recoveries against the Old Lady.

As Barcelona poured forward in numbers, Rakitic was time and time again the first one to cover his colleagues. His selflessness was an immense luxury to Dani Alves with the Croat regularly seen defending on the right side of the back four whenever the Brazilian was caught stranding in a forward position.

Last Saturday was a fitting farewell to Xavi from the adoring Blaugrana fan. The original engine of the tiki-taka machine will no longer help streamroll his side to title after title.

Now there’s a new engine in place and it was been imported from Basle via Schalke and Seville. Rakitic may not have been bred in La Masia but he is a converted football Catalan.