Rakitic thrilled 'to pass to a person instead of a wall'

Barça midfielder Ivan Rakitic was joined by Catalan Moto GP rider Marc Márquez this Monday for a chat on the Barça YouTube channel. With both of them getting back to something resembling a normal training routine and with the return to competition on the horizon, there was plenty to talk about.

Here is a selection of comments from the Croatian star:

Group training

"Today was great to train in groups of ten for the first time. I was looking forward to feeling like a footballer again instead of training alone.”

"There were specific things we were looking forward to doing as a team again. It was great to get back into the rhythm and now it’s a case of going forwards.”

"It was so good to do a rondo and pass the wall to a person instead of a wall. To feel the grass under your feet and to feel the adrenaline coming back.”

Bundesliga back

"We watched a few games in the Bundesliga. I’ve spoken to ex-team mates in Germany, to Neuer and Perisic of Bayern. They have had a good head start.”

"It’s was nice they could get back to playing, it was emotional. It’s a bit sad to see there are no fans and the benches are all a metre part, but football is back and hopefully it’ll be coming back for us soon too.”

Under control

"The most important thing is health. Sport has changed as getting better and better. It is so much better organised, we have everything we need and only need to worry about playing and nothing else.”

Riding in Moto GP?

"I would never get on a bike going at 300 km/ph. I like watching it, but to have the kind of control that Marc has is very different to riding in the street. I respect him for what he can do. It’s adrenaline that beats the fear, but you have to be brave to do it. Not anyone can do that.”

Competing worldwide?

"It would be lovely to travel the world playing for your club and seeing all our fans in all those different countries. But it would make everyday family life so much more difficult.”

Meanwhile, Marc Márquez added that "we have started working on fitness and competition might start again in July, but it depends on how everything develops because we travel to different countries and it will be difficult to coordinate everything … As I live with my brother, we have been able to train together and that was good, it makes it more motivating.”

If you want to watch the complete call, just click on the video!