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Ivan Rakitic says Barcelona must take ‘special care’ of Lionel Messi

Ivan Rakitic has told Barcelona that they must take special care of captain Lionel Messi because his greatness means he’s not like other players.

Messi has been described recently as “difficult to manage” by former manager Quique Setien who has spoken out about his brief reign in charge of the club.

Rakitic says he “always got along wonderfully with” Messi during his time at Barcelona and also offered a few words of advice on how to treat the captain.

“Players of that level are different from everyone else and the other players have to take care of them in a very special way because of their ability to make a difference.