RAKITIC: "THE LEVEL OF COMMITMENT I SEE FROM MY TEAMMATES FILLS ME WITH CONFIDENCE"

Ivan Rakitic was on media duty alongside Diego Alonso at the pre-match press conference ahead of tomorrow's game against Arsenal at Emirates Stadium: "We're extremely motivated and can't wait for the match. You can see it in the dressing room, when you greet eachother in the morning, on the plane, en route to the stadium... we can sense that we're growing as a team and that makes us confident, which is very important. We know there are details that need to be improved, but we're excited by the challenge and proud to wear the shirt. Tomorrow is another opportunity to show the world how ambitious we are and that we are developing as a side." The captain then went on to address the second half of the reverse fixture: "We were very much in the game, we created chances and caused them problems. Even though in theory you can do everything right, sometimes it's not enough and we want to put that right tomorrow. We feel that hunger every day and we're here to win." 

This fixture is the first of two in a week of enormous importance: "This week is vital, just like the last and the next. It's a privilege to have an opportunity to win every three days. Tomorrow is a huge Champions League match, on Sunday we have another crucial game but we'll talk about that at a later date, when the time is right. The team is raring to go and the commitment I see fills me with confidence. It's never easy when the fine margins don't go your way, but we know what we have to do." 

The midfielder also touched on the relationship forged between the players and Diego Alonso since he arrived: "All I can say is that there is no doubt in the dressing room. The coach arrived with a very clear philosophy. We are a group of 27 players with a unique blend of attributes, including myself, but I know what my role is and this clarity allows us to improve. This understanding comes across on the pitch. Now we are fine-tuning the details, and I'm convinced that it will pay off."