The surprising recommendation Barcelona made to Ivan Rakitic
The midfielder has not been able to enjoy the Catalan city as much as he would've liked
Ivan Rakitic joined Barcelona three years ago. It did not take him long to adapt to his new team and the dressing room. However, he’s revealed that he can’t say the same about the city.
Not because Barcelona has received him with any hostility, but because the players has not visited some of the city’s most popular tourist spots due to the club’s recommendation.
In an interview with Croatian publication Novi List, the midfielder said that in three years he’s never once stepped foot on the Ramblas.
“I have never been to the Ramblas and Montjuic, for example, I’ve visited just twice,” he said.
The reason? A curious recommendation from the club when he signed that he tried to avoid the busiest places where he would encounter the most supporters.
“The most touristy areas that I have seen I have seen from the top deck of a tourist bus when we have been celebrating titles,” he added.
Rakitic tries to live a normal life with his partner and his two daughters in the Catalonia. Since joining Barça he has lived in Gava Mar and all his free-time is dedicated to his family.
“My favourite place in Barcelona? I’m sure it will disappoint many people, but we like to go to the shopping centres. Not to go shopping, but because they offer a lot of activities for my daughters, Althea and Adara,” he said.
“People who have children will understand me. As soon as we leave the house, Althea says: ‘let’s go to Anecblau (a shopping centre in Castelldefels).”
ANDALUSIANS VS. CATALANS
Rakitic, who joined Barça from Sevilla, also analysed the differences between people from Andalusia and people from Catalonia.
“People from Andalusia are more like the Croatians, in terms of ‘let’s take things slowly, tomorrow we’ll have time, there’s no rush,’” he explained.
“While the Catalans are a little more like the Swiss. They’re not as open, they’re respectful but with a certain distance, like ‘don’t touch me and I won’t do you damage.’”
Rakitic said that the character of the Catalans made it difficult to adapt at first: “Here the people walk on the streets and the don’t even look.”
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