Sevilla coach Quique Sanchez Flores has explained offloading Adnan Januzaj and Rafa Mir.

Januzaj was sent away to Istanbul Basaksehir and Mir returned to parent club Valencia.

Sanchez Flores said: "They are professionals but each one understands the degree of demand in a different way and I have the degree of demand above the bar that Januzaj and Rafa Mir have set.

"After having tried, having gone to them in the most absolute need, the time comes when there is no time to lower the bar. The demand is what it is and whoever is not in that demand either reaches it or cannot have minutes. Now things change. They have to reach an optimal level of demand

"It's not enough to be a good, high-level professional; you have to have the necessary commitment to defend the Sevilla shirt."

On Ivan Rakitic leaving for Al Shabab, he added: "I only have to say about Ivan that I respect his career a lot. We had a very honest conversation four days before his decision. He told me that he wasn't counting on him, I told him yes but that I couldn't guarantee when in each game and I asked him something for his continuity.

"The decision, two days later, was his. He was honest. He said he couldn't give what he could. I greatly respect Ivan's profile and he had an honest response."