El Clasico in quotes: 'I dreamed of this as a boy,' says Rakitic

The clock continues to tick down towards the season's first edition of El Clasico, and naturally, players from both teams are being bombarded with questions about the biggest domestic match Europe has to offer.

Next up to face the cameras: Barcelona's Ivan Rakitic.

Speaking with Spanish television station GolT, the midfielder described his excitement heading into the contest, noting that he'll be fulfilling a childhood dream when he walks onto the pitch on Saturday.

"I dreamed of this as a boy, but now I don't want to dream about it, I want to live it," Rakitic said. "The best thing for me now is being able to live it from the inside. It's a huge responsibility and I want to pay back the club and the fans for all their faith in me."

- With translation from Marca