El Clasico: Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic reveals he turned down Chelsea as a teenager

Croatia international also had the chance to join Juventus

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Barcelona midfielder Ivan Rakitic has revealed he turned down the chance to move to Chelsea as a 16-year-old.

The Croatia international was also tracked by Juventus but decided it was best to stay with his family in Switzerland and get more experience with Basel.

After spells at Schalke and then Sevilla, the 27-year-old joined Barcelona in 2014, where he has become an integral member of the side, effectively replacing club legend Xavi.

He helped Luis Enrique's team win the treble last season and was brilliant in the Champions League final, where he opened the scoring after just four minutes.

Rakitic is steadfast in his belief that turn down a big move as a teenager was important in his development into one of the world's best.

"It was important for me to do it step by step. First of all to arrive in the first-team in Switzerland because I had, at 16 years of age, a big offer to go to Chelsea. And another offer from Juventus," he told the Daily Telegraph.

"At that time, when I was 15, 16, I decided it was important to have my family. It might not have been the best decision for everyone but it was the right one for me.

"It was important for me to say ‘the money is there but the money will come with time, also’. There was another player like me and he went and today he is playing in the fourth division in Switzerland."

Barcelona take on bitter rivals Real Madrid at the Bernabeu in the first El Clasico of the season on Saturday afternoon.