Ivan Rakitic believes Neymar’s departure over the summer is bad for Barcelona after labelling the Brazilian one of the best people he has ever met in football.
Neymar made the decision to leave Barcelona and join Paris Saint-Germain for a world record £193m deal in the summer leaving the La Liga giants in a state of shock.
Barcelona replaced Neymar with Ousmane Dembele, who is now injured for up to four months, but Rakitic has revealed his sadness about the departure of his former team-mate.
“For me personally, it was really hard, not only because he’s one of the biggest players. But also, for me, because he’s a big person,” Rakitic told the BBC World Service, via The Daily Mail.
“He was really important for our dressing room, and for me he’s one of the best guys I know in football. So for me it was a really bad decision because I liked to have him in my team.
“We have to respect Neymar’s decision to move. If a team can buy him and he decides to leave Barcelona, we have to respect it and wish him the best luck.
“Hopefully he can score a lot of goals and be happy in Paris, but we have to go on our way and be strong together without Neymar now.”
Many thought Barcelona would suffer this season after going through a hectic summer of change, but Ernesto Valverde’s side have already opened up a seven-point lead over Real Madrid after five matches.
Lionel Messi has started the season in mesmeric form despite the departure of his partner in crime in attack, scoring nine league goals. As for Rakitic, he has also started the season positively, providing two assists in four starts.
