Retired Rakitic lauds Xavi's role in Barcelona's youth-driven rebuild

Xavi Hernandez's tenure as Barcelona manager ended unceremoniously. However, not everyone criticises the Catalan's leadership; some, like Ivan Rakitic, are staunch defenders of his legacy.

The recently retired Croatia international was quick to defend his former teammate from their time at Camp Nou, doing so in an interview with Sport.

Rakitic highlighted Xavi's work with the youth setup, stating: "If they hadn't signed him when he was in Qatar, the club would have been in serious trouble. Xavi gave opportunities to all those youngsters who are now shining so brightly. He possessed the ability to deploy them exactly where they were needed."

"I was impressed by how Xavi controlled the dressing room, how he handled the press, the club's marketing side...", he said, reflecting on his playing days. "Without Xavi, all those details we had under control slipped away. It's a shame because we could have won three or four Champions Leagues", he added.

Rakitic also spoke about Leo Messi: "He was one of the first to say to me: 'Ivan, if you need anything, just tell me'. He didn't even realise the impact he had on people just by being there."

"Leo had a bit of a problem with Lucho. When you have two strong characters, difficult moments are bound to arise. Sometimes we don't agree on something, and sparks fly, but that's normal," the Croatian concluded.