FC Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic played the second half of the 2–0 win over Valencia on Saturday afternoon and was delighted with the victory. "We are very happy about the big win and the game, but we still have six games and we have to work a lot," he said on Barça TV's El Marcador after the game, adding that, "It isn't easy to beat Valencia. It was very important to score first because it helped us calm down."
The Croatian wanted to stress the importance of the victory. "[Valencia] are a team that has gotten stronger throughout this season and have a very detail-oriented coach," he said. While Rakitic offered praise to Saturday's opponents, he stressed that Barça "dominated more in the second half and deserved the victory."
"We are where we wanted to be — leading the league with a good advantage in the Champions League quarter-finals and already in the Spanish Cup final." He also said he's very happy with the Club and hopes to complete his first year with the team on a high note.