Ivan Rakitic, former Sevilla and Barcelona midfielder, spoke to Diario AS and shared his views on Real Madrid’s dominance in Europe.

The Croatian made it clear that he saw Madrid as favorites early on. “I said after they drew City to watch out for Real Madrid. For me, they were the favorites. Even so, if we look at the teams, City might seem superior. But for me, Madrid were the clear favorites. They have a very strong, very extensive history in the Champions League. In that sense, it doesn’t surprise me.”

He admitted, however, that certain moments caught him off guard. “What did surprise me was the result of the first leg. And in the second leg, especially with the sending-off, everything went their way, regardless of the fact that they were ahead in the tie.”

Rakitic also dismissed the idea that Champions League success comes down to luck. “No, well, it’s not inexplicable. For me, it’s very explainable. When you do things right, you get results. And Real Madrid is doing many things very well.”

He also acknowledged the debates surrounding Álvaro Arbeloa and the team’s style, but insisted results speak for themselves. “I understand that there are many divided opinions about Arbeloa, about the style of play and everything, but there it is. And it’s not a coincidence.”

To conclude, he highlighted the merit behind the club’s success. “Nobody goes to Real Madrid because they’ve been given things. When you do things right, football rewards you. And when you don’t do things right, football doesn’t reward you.”

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