El-Clásico clash: "If we play at our level and we manage to control the game, I think we have a good chance to win this match" - Rakitic

Barcelona midfielder, Ivan Rakitic who spoke in an interview with La Liga about the coming El Clásico clash, set for this Sunday at 8.45pm CET at the Santiago Bernabéu Stadium in Madrid, Spain, says that "If we play at our level and we manage to control the game, I think we have a good chance to win this match."

On his general impressions of the game, Rakitic who joined FC Barcelona in the summer of 2014, says, "We want to win this game. We need to and we are going into it with a lot of confidence. In recent years, the games we have played there have been very good and we want to play the same way again this year."

He also said, "With all due respect to Real Madrid, the most important thing is not how they are doing, but rather how we are doing. If we play at our level and we manage to control the game, I think we have a good chance to win this match,"

Rakitic, with lot of confidence stated how motivated the Spanish giant are, saying: "Nobody is hungrier for victories than us, knowing the club and all its triumphs, we are very much up for more winning."

"I have great memories of the 4–0 win [there, last season], not just because we won, but also how we did it, because we were very much superior."

He shared his El Clásico experience when he played for Sevilla: "I have already been lucky enough to score against Madrid, when I played for Sevilla. Now, hopefully I can do it with Barça. Nevertheless, I’d rather win than have even a single touch."

"Set pieces will be very important. Real Madid has players who specialize in them and we’ll have to be equal to or better than them in intensity and concentration."

On the strong probability that Neymar will miss the game through suspension, pending a decision on Barça’s appeal, the midfielder said: "He’s one of the best three players in the world and it would be better to have him. But we’ve already show we can win without him."

"I’m very happy and proud to have reached the milestone of 150 games played for Barça. I have fun at this Club everyday and I hope for many more," he added.