'%20x='0'%20y='0'%20height='100%25'%20width='100%25'%20%0A%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20%20xlink%3Ahref='data:image/jpg;base64,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'%3E%3C/image%3E%3C/svg%3E)
Croatia and Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic has paid tribute to the club’s deadly attacking trio of Lionel Messi, Luiz Suarez and Neymar. According to reports from his interview with Vecernji, he has said that he regards the three Barcelona attackers as football magicians and that they are easily the best in the world.
Rakitic also added that he would have been wonderstruck by the three regardless of the fact if they were his teammates or not.
He told Vecernji: "MSN are football magicians and if I wasn't part of that family, I would also admit they are the best."
The Barcelona front three were at their marauding best last season as they plundered defences all over Europe scoring upwards of a 100 goals among them in all competitions. It was mainly down to their exploits that Barcelona were able to become the first club in the history of the game to achieve the treble twice.
Messi is irreplaceable: Rakitic
The Croat also shed light on his relationship with Barca superstar Lionel Messi and what he means to the club and to himself.
"Messi is one and only, no one like him will ever be born again," he added. "When it gets tough, he pops up and solves the problem.
He also revealed Argentine sensation Messi’s modesty and his generous gesture when he was was new at the club and trying to find his place in the intimidating Barcelona dressing room.
"Privately, Messi is calm, quite, no big words... but as I came, he approached me and said 'Hi, I am Lionel Messi, and whatever you need, just tell me'.
The former Sevilla man also touched upon the faltering performances off late from the team which has been attributed to the absence of the magician from Argentina. He has suggested that every member of the team has to perform that extra bit to try and offset the void left by Messi.
"Now each one of us will have to give even more to replace him, but it is impossible to make up Messi's absence.
Rakitic, who arrived at Catalunya from fellow Spanish club Sevilla at the beginning of the 2014-15 season, has been a revelation at Camo Nou. He was brought in to replace club legend Xavi Hernandez. The jury is still out on how far he has gone about in that particular aspect, but he has quickly established himself in the team. Among other impressive feats he has achieved at the club so far, he famously scored Barcelona’s opening goal in the final of the Champions League against Juventus with a well-taken finish.
