Sevilla star Ivan Rakitic exclusive: “I see myself completely as Swiss”

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Display: Rumor has it that the celebrations in Seville after the Europa League win were epic. Survived?
Ivan Rakitic: (laughs) I have to admit, it hurt a little at the end. Those were three long and incredible days. I didn’t even know it was that hard…

So you can see you’re not twenty anymore…
Under this title, these celebrations stood before me, yes …

When do you realize you have made history?
That comes after the parties. When you are at home with your wife and children and you have time. As a family man you notice what you have achieved in the children. When one daughter asks to take the Europa League trophy to school and the other the prom, you feel what we have achieved. Once again Sevilla has destroyed the football laws. No one would have bet on us. And now we are champions again.

You suggested that the Europa League Cup should be renamed the FC Sevilla Cup. Has UEFA president Aleksandar Ceferin taken steps to do this?
Initially, those responsible at UEFA were shocked by what we did with the trophy. I think everyone at UEFA, including the president, knows that Sevilla has a very special relationship with the Europa League. So they have to talk about it at the next meeting.

How is it possible that they have such a terrible season in La Liga, finishing 11th and knocking out teams like Manchester United and Juventus in the Europa League?
Separate laws apply. We reached the final – with the third coach this season who had no European Cup experience. And we didn’t just eliminate these two heavyweights. We were better in both games. At home we still had the feeling that we were one step faster and stronger than our opponents. On the other hand, our season in the league was unforgettable.

So a phenomenon.
Yes. There is something. The god of football created this connection between Sevilla and the Europa League. And the opponents who meet us say: Pooh, why only Seville?! It’s unbelievable!

How did you experience Jose Mourinho’s performance in the final?
The Europa League has made a giant step in recent years and is approaching the Champions League. Sevilla against ManUtd or Juve could also get into the quarter-finals of the Champions League. You can see that even a great coach like Mourinho, who I think is one of the best in football history and who has won everything, really wanted this title. That was pure hunger and has something to do with honor that you don’t like to leave the field as a loser.

But he always pushes the boundaries.
Certainly. But that doesn’t really surprise us. We have known him for over 20 years. That was 100 percent Mourinho. I met him at the press conference the day before the game and felt: he is ready! With every statement he knows exactly what he wants to achieve.

Your gesture with Sergio Rico’s shirt on the victory lap was impressive for us.
Sergio is a boy from Seville. He grew up here. I played with him. He also won the Europa League. His condition after the serious driving accident is critical. But from what I’ve heard, things are getting a little better. I wanted to show that we are all behind him.

A word to you: after an hour you thought, well, now he’s going down, the 35-year-old. By the end of the season at the latest, he is too tired to stay indoors. But you play the nearly 150 minutes to the end, some of which were incredibly intense – and still have the strength for a penalty. Where do these physical resources come from?
Novak Djokovic already said a few months ago that 35 is the new 25… I’m going to take care of that now. (laughs) Those are the moments when I enjoy football the most. I was convinced that my teammates needed me. I wanted to take on that responsibility. And I knew that after that I would have a month to regenerate and regain my strength.

So not a little football tired?
I go to the training center every morning with a big smile and try to pick up my teammates. I know I am important to them and the club because of my connection with the club and the fans.

Her contract runs for another year. They fulfill it.
In each case. As long as I feel I can keep up and be important to the team, I will continue. Hopefully a few more years. But always without stress and the like.

For Ibrahimovic, that increased to 41 years. So there is still room for a real career extension…
(laughs) Uff, that’s a long way off. As long as I can, I’ll keep going. Especially when I see that I’ve been able to do some of the best things in my career in recent months.

A return to Switzerland is probably less likely because of her children and because her wife, who is from Seville, wants to stay there.
Never say never! We are at home in Seville and everything suits us well here. I have practically no contact with the people at the helm in Basel. A lot has changed there. Occasionally with Bernhard Heusler. But he’s gone.

Speaking of FCB, your former club came very close to making Swiss football history and reaching a European Cup final for the first time. Did you chat?
In each case! I checked right after our game how it went. Incredible! 129th minute – and then the ball has to get there. It was sad and sad. FCB did many things well, came so close, made the best advertisement for Swiss football and can be proud. You have seen that it is possible to reach a final. I hope it succeeds in the years to come. Anyway, congratulations to players and fans!

I’m sure you still have some royal blue lifeblood. How painful is the relegation of Schalke, another ex-club?
It hurts! I am still in contact with people from Gelsenkirchen. I can only hope they reappear soon.

Have you noticed the relegation of FC Sion?
Clearly. It surprised me and made me a little sad. Sion is a great club from a great city. Every year the president gets a big project off the ground, which is why the demotion is a shame. Not only for Sion, but also for Swiss football as a whole. I hope they learn from it in Valais, that there is a new beginning and that they get up again soon.

Is a visit to Switzerland also on the program during your holiday?
At the moment we are in Ibiza. It means switching off completely, away from it all. Then I try to get to Switzerland for a few more days.

Most of her family still lives in Möhlin AG.
My sister lives near Zurich, as do many of my colleagues. But my family is still in Möhlin, yes.

What does Switzerland mean to you? They did the victory lap with the Croatian flag…
A Swiss player also won the Europa League. Clearly! In Spain I am the Croat-Swiss-Andalusian. And not the Croatian-Andalusian. Switzerland is always there with Ivan. I am proud to represent Switzerland in football and sport in general. The reason I traveled with the Croatian flag was because a Croatian fan gave it to me. If it had been Swiss, I would have carried the Swiss flag. I’m proud of where I was born and where it all started.

Do you still have a Swiss and Croatian passport?
Precisely. I did ask for the Spanish passport, for the sake of my heart. They told me to give up one, the Swiss or the Croat. Then I said: then I’m just not Spaniard… (laughs)

There are still many people in Switzerland who consider them to be pure Croats because they played for their national team. I, on the other hand, say: Ivan Rakitic is the most successful Swiss footballer of all time. How do you see it?
I see it exactly the same way and I’m glad if you see it the same way. I can understand that there are different perceptions. I see myself as completely Swiss. Whenever Swiss sport comes on TV, I watch and cheer. For example, I was a big fan of Roger Federer. Of course I made the decision to play for Croatia after playing for the Swiss U21s first. I still enjoy showing this jersey and explaining to the Spaniards where I come from.

You are not only the Swiss number one as a footballer, but also on Instagram with 17.3 million followers. That’s more than four times as many followers as Croatia, and more than twice as many as Switzerland… How do you do that?
I always try to be close to people and hope they feel that too. I am happy and proud that so many follow me. And the funny thing is that most of them are not from Europe. I even hope to be able to grow.

Source : Blick