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Ivan Rakitic Talks About His New Deal With Barcelona

By Laieke Abebe

BARCELONA, SPAIN - MARCH 08: Ivan Rakitic of Barcelona battles for the ball with PSG's Julian Draxler during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg match between FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain at Camp Nou on March 08, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Vladimir Rys Photography via Getty Images)
BARCELONA, SPAIN - MARCH 08: Ivan Rakitic of Barcelona battles for the ball with PSG's Julian Draxler during the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg match between FC Barcelona and Paris Saint-Germain at Camp Nou on March 08, 2017 in Barcelona, Spain. (Photo by Vladimir Rys Photography via Getty Images) /
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Croatian midfielder Ivan Rakitic scored a new deal with Barcelona that will keep him with the club until 2021.

It’s been a crazy week for Barcelona. They managed to come back from 4-0 down to advance to the Champions League quarterfinals. However, behind the scenes a big move was made by the club. After a lot of speculation of a potential move, Ivan Rakitic has decided to stay with Barca. A new deal he signed will keep him with the club until 2021. On top of that special occasion, Rakitic celebrated his birthday. He is now 29 years of age and is showing no signs of stopping. The Croatian midfielder took the time to talk to Barcelona TV about his new deal.

"“It has been a perfect day to be able to sign my renewal with Barcelona. I am very proud, already being at the best club in the world is the best gift possible.”Rakitic On Re-Signing With Barcelona"

It really couldn’t be a more perfect week for the Croatian. After surely celebrating with his teammates after the match against PSG, he gets to sign a long-term deal. A big win and a big payday is certainly great for anyone. Rakitic got to start in the second leg against PSG. Despite that, he did get substituted for, but he played his part in the match. Rakitic would go onto talk about how long he’d like to stay with the club that originally signed him from Sevilla.

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"“When I arrived the first few days were complicated. It was another world, very different. Later, with the years, I got to know the people, what Barcelona meant in the world and I carry it inside. It fills me with pride to be here. For me it’s impressive, I want to give the maximum to these people. I hope the people are happy with me. From here I want to thank them for their support, as well as the president and the board. It has been a dream made real and I hope I will stay here many more years.”Rakitic On Staying With The Club"

Next: Barca Righ-Back Search Continues

Overall, having Ivan Rakitic back for the long-term helps with the midfield depth that Barca has built over the years. The Croatian is still learning from the stalwarts at the club like Andres Iniesta and Sergio Busquets. At his age, he has a good amount of years left in him. In addition, he could be inserted into the starting 11 more often in the future. Hopefully, Rakitic has more important goals and assists in him like the goal in the 2015 Champions League Final. In conclusion, it has been a great week for Barcelona and especially for Ivan Rakitic.

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