In the middle of the frantic activity that surrounds to the FC Barcelona, sometimes the footballers take a rest when they concede glimpsed or have a moment to separate of the football, and is then when they stand out his qualities like people. In the case of Ivan Rakitic occurred does some days, when the Croat destapó in 'The Players' Tribune'.

Also it spoke of sport the midfield player, and left headlines so sounded like that "if it does not like you the football of the Barça, does not like you the football". Besides, it confessed that "it wanted to be Robert Prosinečki" and undid in praises to one of his mates, the incomparable Leo Messi. But the best of his writing was not between these words, and is that Rakitic undressed explaining a big history, the one of as it knew to Raquel Mauri, his woman.

"It was in 2011. It were 21 years old. I arrived to Spain very late, as to the 10 of the night. It had been playing for the FC Schalke 04 in Germany the four previous years, and the Seville FC was about to ficharme the next day. Only they remained me do the medical proofs and sign the agreement. My greater brother travelled with me, and when we arrive to the hotel dine with people of the club. By some reason, was with nerves after dining, and knew that it could not sleep. Then, I said him to my brother, 'Take a glass and afterwards already will go to sleep'".

"These words changed me the life. Because the woman that this night worked in the bar was… Go, of another world! This is the part of the film when all goes in slow camera. It could not say him at all more than 'hello', because it did not know at all of Spanish. It spoke German, English, Italian, French and serbocroata, but at all of Spanish. It was terrible".

"Then, my brother and I were there seated, chatting, when somebody of another important European club called to my brother by telephone. They said that they had knowledgeable that we were in Seville, and wanted to command an aeroplane to collect us so that I fichara with them instead of with the Seville. In this moment still there was not official agreement with the Seville. It was a big step for me go me to Spain and assume a big risk. New country, new language… did not know to anybody there. The club that wanted to command the aeroplane to look for me… Say that it proposed me an easier change for me".

"I said him to my brother that my word cost more than my signature"

"Then, my brother asked me, 'what want to do?' And I said him, 'Then , have promised him to the president of the Seville that would go me there, and my word costs more than my signature'. Afterwards I signalled to the bar and said him, 'See to our waitress? I go to play here for the Seville, and go me to marry with this woman'. My brother was laughing . It said me, 'Voucher, as your say.' It thought that I kidded. The next day, I signed the agreement with the Seville, and lived in this hotel during three months, while it looked for a house. Each morning approached me to the bar to take coffee or Fanta to see to the beautiful waitress".

"Only it knew his name: Raquel. She did not speak at all of English, and I at all of Spanish. So each day… 'Good morning, Raquel. A coffee and a Fanta orange'. I took big and ridiculous quantities of coffee. Probably I asked him go out with me some 20 or 30 times. Never it said me 'no', but always it had some excuse like that it had to work and afterwards to sleep. After 3 months, moved me to my house, and agree me that it felt me very sad because it thought that maybe this had finish. But I did not leave it. Still it drove to the hotel to take my coffee of always".

"Big part of my motivation was to fit in the team so that she dined with me"

"A day, finally, Raquel explained me why would not go out with me. It said me, 'you Are a footballer. You can move you to any country next year. I'm sorry, but no'. 'Maybe it thinks that I am not very good and the Seville sells me next summer', thought. A big part of my motivation was to fit with the team and achieve that this girl dined with me. I arrived on 27 January 2011. On 20 August I received a message of text of somebody that said: 'She is here in the bar taking something with his sister, is not working'".

"Almost all of the village knew my history, and somebody that was in the bar and commanded me this message. (I deny me appoint to my accomplice). I called to a fellow and went directly to the hotel, and seated me just at the side of Raquel. I said him, 'Then , you are not working. At the end you have time to dine with me'. She was surprised. It said that it did not know, that maybe… Said Him, 'No. I do not go me. I know that you are with your sister and everything, but have to begin already. Go us. All'. And then, all go out together".

"The next day, we find us to eat, and since have been together, Six years afterwards, and now with two lovely daughters, this was the most difficult that have done in my life. It was harder that win the UEFA Champions League".

Big moment

The greater confession of Ivan Rakitic arrives beside a big moment of form in the FC Barcelona. After some months in which it had especulado with a possible course of the club, with the arrival of Ernesto Valverde has gone back to take out his best performance and has converted again in an indispensable piece of the eleven.