FC Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic is confident that the Catalan giants can claim the next trophy en route to a possible six when they face Sevilla in Tuesday’s Uefa Super Cup in Tbilisi.
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FC Barcelona followed up the Champions League crown of 2009 and 2011 with yet another triumph last season when they comfortably beat Juventus in this year’s final. The win was their third trophy in 2015 following victories in Spanish League and Spanish Cup.
Sevilla continued to show that Spain bear the standard in club football when they won the Europa League for the second time in a row, beating Ukraine side Dnipro in the final.
Now, the duo are set to clash in the UEFA Super Cup final, a showpiece event ahead of the new European season that pits the Champions League winners against the Europa League winners.
Rakitic confident of another trophy
FC Barcelona players have repeatedly said that they want to win every trophy on offer this year in order to complete a sextuple.
Ivan Rakitic is confident that FC Barcelona can begin the new season with a trophy as they prepare to take on Sevilla, later tonight.
He was quoted saying by goal.com: “Nobody wants to do that more than we do. But we have to take things each step at a time. And the first chance is on Tuesday in Tbilisi.
“We are confident in ourselves and in our strengths. We’ll work even harder than we did last year. But we know that there will be hard times this season too.
“We’ve got a strong team and I just try to be myself. I like taking on responsibilities, as I have done at all the clubs I’ve played for. My role won’t change because Xavi has gone. I am Rakitic and I have my own virtues.”
FC Barcelona expect to start with Pedro
FC Barcelona have been practicing with Pedro in the front three on the training ground following illness to Neymar and Arda Turan still ineligible to play. Neymar has been diagnosed with mumps, while Adriano, Douglas, and Jordi Alba are all injured.
Pedro is reportedly unhappy at Barcelona due to too much competition for places and is not prepared to drop behind the pecking order to Turan and the trio of Messi, Neymar, and Suarez.
FC Barcelona will be hoping to win their third UEFA Super cup in six years and avenge the 3-0 loss to Sevilla in 2006 when the teams face each other later in the day.