Ivan Rakitić explains why Barcelona are better without Neymar | OneFootball

No Neymar, no problem: Barcelona are top of LaLiga and qualified from their Champions League group with time to spare.

The biggest transfer of all time appeared to rock the club in the summer, making it a nightmare start for Ernesto Valverde in the Camp Nou hotseat.

“We had more verve when Neymar was here, maybe that’s something we lack a little now,” midfielder Ivan Rakitić said in an interview with Mundo Deportivo.

“If I had a magic wand, I would bring him back! He is the sort of player you would love on your team and of course I would prefer him to be here.”

That isn’t the full story, though.

While Rakitić would bring Neymar back, he admits the team seem to have improved without him.

“But the truth is we are doing very well without him here and he’s now at a different club, so it is not right to speak about him more.

“We have changed our system and we are now more balanced both defensively and offensively, although we still have room to improve.”

Valverde’s Barcelona are playing with a more disciplined structure than under predecessor Luis Enrique, who used Neymar, Lionel Messi and Luis Suárez to wreak havoc against opposition defences.

Now Barcelona are more sensible, more measured, and more clinical.

No Neymar? So far, so good.