Ivan Rakitic admits he feels ‘very scared’ about the prospect of Barcelona captain Andres Iniesta leaving the club.
Reports in Diario Sport this week claim a Chinese club could attempt to sign the 33-year-old later this year, with the Croatian underlining his significance at the Blaugrana.
“I’m very scared of Iniesta leaving us,” Rakitic told the pre-match press conference ahead of the Champions League clash at Stamford Bridge against Chelsea.
“He is a symbol for this club and he means a lot for everyone here and when you look at that goal he scored here (Stamford Bridge, in 2009) you can see his excellence and significance.
“It isn’t just what he does on the pitch but also off the pitch and his importance for the dressing room. He is a great friend of mine and I want to play alongside him for many years.
“No matter what decision he takes in the future, I want to remain close to him.”
