Football
Sam Marsden, Barcelona correspondent 7y

Ivan Rakitic still has important role with Barcelona - Luis Enrique

BARCELONA -- Luis Enrique said Ivan Rakitic still has an important role to play for Barcelona, despite the fact the midfielder has started just one of the club's four games since the turn of the year.

Rakitic has not started a league game since December's draw with Real Madrid and has not started in any competition since the 2-1 Copa del Rey defeat at Athletic Bilbao on Jan. 5.

Since then he's played just 38 minutes of football, missing out on the match day squad for the La Liga game against Villarreal altogether, and his lack of action has seen him linked with Manchester City.

"I have always said Ivan has been, is and will be an important member of the team," Luis Enrique said in a news conference on Wednesday.

The Barca coach has used Andre Gomes, Rafinha and Denis Suarez in Rakitic's position recently and he says the important thing is that all of his midfielders are prepared to play when called upon.

"I can't discuss [Rakitic's contract situation], but in a sporting sense what I want is my players ready to play and [he is] and that's always been the case since I've been here," he added.

Rakitic, meanwhile, in an interview with France Football released on Tuesday, said that he'd be willing to "jump off a bridge" for his manager amid suggestions their relationship had deteriorated.

Luis Enrique, though, joked that given the Croatian's lack of football recently and the speculation it's generated, things may have changed since he made that comment.

"I think that interview was done a while ago," Luis Enrique responded when asked about Rakitic's remark. "It's probably best you don't ask him now because I'd be going off the bridge on my own!

"No, but he's an exemplary player, 10 out of 10 for attitude on and off the pitch."

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