Sevilla midfielder Ivan Rakitic has revisited his departure from Barcelona.

The Croatia international reluctantly departed Barca last summer as it became obvious there were no plans to extend his contract.

He recalled to AS: "If my departure from Barcelona to Sevilla affected me? The word 'affect' is not the most adequate, although football in Barcelona is not the same as here, for sure.

"I would like that when you come into a new team, you could push a button and say 'this is a change and we move on', but that's not how it is. It takes a little getting used to. I have always been able to count on the confidence of the coach, my teammates and the people at the club.

"I took a rhythm and I got to know them. It was not easy, it was not just a question of arriving and giving the maximum. I felt an improvement every week."