The Reasons Why Ivan Rakitic Has Been Benched at Barcelona
For two years, there has been no question. When fit, Ivan Rakitic has been an essential part of Barcelona boss Luis Enrique’s Gala XI.
Signed in the summer of 2014, the Croatian won the treble and then the double, all the while being one of the coach’s most used players.
For the first time in his Barcelona career, Rakitic has failed to start five games of the last eight. He has only started one of the last five.
While that was the Clasico, one of the team’s biggest games of the season, he was hooked after the hour mark.
According to Mundo Deportivo (in Spanish), the Barcelona midfielder “does not understand” the treatment he has been given by the coach.
And Luis Enrique, when asked about the absence of Rakitic from the last few games, replied, “it’s a coach’s decision.”
He was not even used from the bench when Sergio Busquets was taken off against Espanyol on Sunday, even though Lucho has used him as a holding midfielder before.
Instead Javier Mascherano was bumped up to midfield, with Samuel Umtiti replacing Busquets and dropping in at centre-back.
Rakitic wasn’t brought on in games against Hercules, Borussia Monchengladbach and Osasuna either. So with the exception of the hour he played against Real Madrid, he has been a spectator since being taken off at half-time against Real Sociedad, on November 27.
There are various factors at play…
Form
Rakitic has not been playing particularly well. He put in a limp performance in the clash away at Manchester City, with Luis Enrique taking him off after 61 minutes.
He was withdrawn again in the next game as Barcelona battled with Sevilla at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan, turning things around after a shoddy first-half display by the team, which he may have copped some of the blame for.
When that performance was repeated against Real Sociedad, Lucho acted even earlier and removed Rakitic at the interval.
In the Clasico he was the first player to be substituted, with Andres Iniesta coming on for him, rather than for Andre Gomes, which was the expected substitution.
Rakitic’s performance against Madrid was decent, with the midfielder working hard defensively, a step up on his previous displays. However, he hasn’t returned to the side since then.
Ball circulation
Rakitic is not a bad player technically, but he does not have Barcelona DNA. Denis Suarez, however, does, while Gomes is also slick on the ball.
Barcelona had been accused of losing their style, being unable to keep possession, and were starting to be dominated by their opponents, rather than the other way around.
The Catalans improved hugely when Iniesta came on for Rakitic in the Clasico, and Gerard Pique said afterwards: “If we recover our style, which we did in part, we're unstoppable and we can turn things around.”
Perhaps Luis Enrique took those words to heart and kept Iniesta in the side with another ball-playing midfielder beside him, one of Denis or Gomes, leaving the more physical, hard-working Rakitic out.
With Iniesta’s return, Barcelona’s football has improved. They look like themselves again. Many have linked that to Rakitic’s absence, too, although the former factor is more significant.
Physical condition
As we noted earlier, Rakitic has been one of the players Luis Enrique has used the most in his time at the club. Perhaps the coach believes his drop in form is related to being overworked physically, and for that reason, he is being kept in cotton wool.
Barcelona paid the price for not resting their key men at times last season, with a near-collapse in April where they were knocked out of the Champions League and threw away their large lead in the title race.
Not playing at the Club World Cup this winter will help them avoid that, but Lucho may be taking further measures, too, including keeping Rakitic fresh.
The 28-year-old suffered an Achilles tendon strain in October that saw him miss Barcelona’s game against Celta Vigo and then two Croatia clashes.
That may also be a factor that has affected Luis Enrique’s decision-making process, with the player forced to play several games on the trot straight after returning from that and never reaching his best level in any of them.
Furthermore, Busquets aside, no other Barcelona midfielder has played more minutes than Rakitic this season, per Sport, so perhaps it’s just time for a rest.
Loaded midfield
The overbooking in Barcelona’s midfield was being discussed even before the season started. There are several contenders for the three midfield berths, with Rakitic fighting against Busquets, Iniesta, Arda Turan, Gomes, Denis and Rafinha for one of three spots.
Realistically, though, it’s a five-way battle for one spot—because Busquets and Iniesta, when fully fit, are non-negotiable parts of Lucho’s team. Like Rakitic used to be.
Given there are so many options, it makes sense that Luis Enrique uses other players, even if the sudden freeze-out for Rakitic is somewhat surprising.
However, the coach has to get the new players acclimatised, and perhaps he feels it wise to make sure Denis and Gomes have plenty of games under their belt going into the key stages of the season where they may be called upon in big clashes.
Saved for later
Rakitic is combative and diligent in a way that Denis and Gomes cannot be, which could also be one of the reasons Luis Enrique has left him out for now.
Barcelona didn’t need that type of player against Gladbach in the Champions League, a dead rubber, or away at Osasuna where they romped to victory against La Liga’s bottom club.
The snub for the Espanyol derby was more surprising, particularly considering Gomes had been left out of the squad and it seemed like either Gomes or Rakitic would start alongside Iniesta and Busquets.
However, Rakitic may feature in the Copa del Rey game on Wednesday night against Hercules, and with Lucho letting the MSN trident and Gerard Pique go early—they are all heading to South America for Christmas, and the coach wants them well-rested, not cramming in two trans-Atlantic trips into just a few days—he needs reliable figures for a game that is far from over.
The minnows earned a 1-1 draw with the Catalans in Alicante, and Rakitic will be one of the most senior players on the pitch should he start this match.
Lucho may also turn to Rakitic in crucial Champions League games to come, with the Croatian the sort who can hold his own in a scrap with Marco Verratti and Blaise Matuidi when Barcelona face Paris Saint-Germain.
Rik Sharma is Bleacher Report's lead Barcelona correspondent. All information and quotes obtained firsthand unless specified. Follow him on Twitter here: @riksharma.
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