Barcelona must take 'special care' of Lionel Messi, says Ivan Rakitic

Former Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic has stated that Barcelona must take special care of talisman Lionel Messi.

Rakitic, who spent six years at Barcelona, has admitted that we might never see a player like Messi again.

Former Barcelona star admits other players have to take care of Lionel Messi

Ivan Rakitic during his Barcelona days

Rakitic was regarded as one of the best midfielders in the world during his prime. Having joined Barcelona from Sevilla in 2014, the Croatian went on to make more than 300 appearances in all competitions for the club, winning 13 trophies along the way.

The 32-year old returned to Sevilla this summer, where he has immediately become an integral part of their midfield.

Sergio Ramos has more La Liga goals and fewer yellow cards than Messi this season 😳 pic.twitter.com/tbKG3lb1fL

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) November 2, 2020

The former Schalke midfielder has admitted that Lionel Messi was different from everyone else.

"Players of that level are different from everyone else and the other players have to take care of them in a very special way because of their ability to make a difference. We do not know if in the future we will be lucky enough to see a footballer like Leo again."

Lionel Messi and Barcelona were in the news for much of the summer transfer window, with the Argentine announcing his decision to leave Barcelona.

However, contractual obligations meant that Messi had to stay at the club. The talismanic attacker has scored only one goal in the league so far, which was a penalty against Villarreal last month.

Lionel Messi's last four goals have come from the penalty spot for the first time in his professional career (club and country). Cristiano Ronaldo has never done this 😯 pic.twitter.com/TK5eZ6YdCu

— ESPN FC (@ESPNFC) October 28, 2020

Since making his debut for Barcelona in 2004, the 33-year old has made nearly 750 appearances in all competitions for the club, scoring 637 goals. He is widely regarded by many as the greatest footballer to have played the game.

With only a year left in his Barcelona contract, it remains to be seen whether the Barcelona captain signs a new deal. Top European clubs have shown an interest in him, with Pep Guardiola's Manchester City rumored to be leading the line to secure his signature.

With the emergence of prodigious attacker Ansu Fati, the reliance on Messi may have reduced slightly, but there is no denying that his presence makes the Barcelona attack more threatening.

---