Barcelona – Former Croatia international Ivan Rakitić, a key figure during the club’s golden era alongside Lionel Messi, Luis Suárez, and Neymar (the “MSN” trio), has expressed regret over not winning more Champions League titles with FC Barcelona. Speaking to Catalunya SER, Rakitić lamented missed opportunities during his time with the Catalan giants from 2014 to 2020, despite lifting the trophy in 2015 and securing multiple La Liga championships.
The midfielder, who announced his retirement on Monday, March 10, 2026, according to MSN, believes his generation possessed the quality and environment to achieve even greater success in Europe’s premier club competition. “With all the respect I have for my generation, we let our chance pass for too long,” Rakitić said. “We had the quality, the team and the environment; we could have won two or three Champions Leagues in my time.”
Rakitić’s comments highlight a sense of unfulfilled potential within a Barcelona squad that dominated Spanish football for a significant period. The team’s Champions League journey, even as culminating in a triumph in 2015, was also marked by painful collapses and unexpected exits. He specifically referenced frustrating defeats, suggesting a pattern of self-sabotage despite possessing superior talent.
The 37-year-old pointed to a tendency to become complacent, a fatal flaw at the highest level of competition. “We got carried away too quickly, and at the highest level, the slightest relaxation has serious consequences. Football punished us,” he explained. “We didn’t do anything particularly wrong, but at that level, it pays. It wasn’t logical to play a match like that in Paris, then, a few days later, the same scenario in Turin. Same with Atlético, Roma…” These references likely allude to dramatic Champions League exits against Paris Saint-Germain, Juventus, Atlético Madrid, and Roma during his tenure.
Rakitić’s reflections aren’t simply a lament for past failures; they’re a candid assessment of a team that, despite its brilliance, couldn’t consistently translate dominance into Champions League glory. He and his former teammates, he says, now recognize the squandered opportunities with the benefit of hindsight. “When I talk with former teammates, we regret it. It always takes time to realize it,” he stated. He expressed hope that the current Barcelona squad can break the cycle and finally deliver the Champions League success the club craves, allowing those past regrets to fade.
The midfielder’s career spanned several clubs, including Schalke 04, Sevilla, and finally, a return to Sevilla before his recent retirement. However, his time at Barcelona remains a defining chapter, inextricably linked to the MSN era. A November 2025 interview, as reported by Facebook page Barcanews24x7, highlighted Rakitić’s high regard for Lionel Messi, calling him the best player he’s ever played with. This sentiment underscores the pivotal role Messi played during Barcelona’s most successful period.
The discussion surrounding Barcelona’s Champions League shortcomings often centers on tactical decisions, managerial changes, and the ever-shifting landscape of European football. Rakitić’s perspective, however, offers a valuable insight from within the dressing room – a recognition that even the most talented teams require unwavering focus and a relentless pursuit of perfection to conquer the Champions League.
Barcelona currently competes in the Champions League, and as reported by Google News on March 10, 2026, Arsenal has been handed a favorable path in the competition. While this news doesn’t directly relate to Rakitić’s reflections, it serves as a reminder of the ongoing quest for Champions League success that continues to define European football.
Rakitić’s retirement marks the complete of an illustrious career, but his honest assessment of his time at Barcelona provides a compelling narrative about the fine margins between success and regret in the world of elite football. His words serve as a cautionary tale for current and future generations of players striving for Champions League glory.
Barcelona’s next Champions League fixture is yet to be determined, but the club will undoubtedly be aiming to build on its legacy and finally silence the echoes of “what ifs” that Rakitić and his former teammates continue to contemplate.
