Rakitic enjoying high life

Teenage sensation Ivan Rakitic has taken the German Bundesliga by storm in his debut season at Schalke - and even a much-publicised late-night drinking session has failed to halt his rise.

The 19-year-old has been an instant hit since moving to the Veltins Arena in the pre-season from Swiss side FC Basel, helping Schalke reach the knock-out stages of the UEFA Champions League for the first time in their history.

He has also forced his way into the Croatia team and could prove to be one of the surprise stars of Euro 2008 in Austria and Switzerland.

Rakitic announced his arrival to the Schalke faithful in dramatic fashion, scoring five minutes after coming off the bench in the opening-day draw with defending champions Stuttgart.

And, with his only other goal this season coming away to Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich, the teenager clearly relishes the big occasion.

But Rakitic's career at Die Konigsblauen could have been over before it had barely begun after he incurred the wrath of the coaching staff.

He was pictured in a German tabloid along with team-mate Mladen Krstajic partying in a nightclub after a game with Frankfurt - and just days before Schalke's winner-takes-all UEFA Champions League clash with Rosenborg.

The midfielder was suspended for a breach of club discipline, missing the win over the Norwegians, and hit with a hefty fine.

Head coach Mirko Slomka said at the time: "Their behaviour is totally unacceptable. They know how they have to prepare for a match. It doesn't matter that they are key players and first-team regulars, we have a clear set of rules and this was a massive breach."

Rakitic apologised for his behaviour, adding: "I'm sorry - we both know it was a stupid thing to do. The suspension is okay. Mladen and I have certainly learnt our lesson. It won't happen again."

The youngster, though, returned for the next league game, the last before the winter break, to help the team keep the heat on the Bundesliga pacesetters.

And his influence in the middle of the pitch will be crucial in the second half of the season as Schalke look to advance in Europe and keep their hopes of domestic success alive.

Rakitic first exploded onto the scene at Swiss side Basel, making his first-team debut when he was just 17 before going on to score 11 times in 33 Super League games in his second season in 2006/07.

His impressive performances saw him named best young player that season and earned him a move to the Veltins Arena.

A goal on his Bundesliga debut suggested Die Konigsblauen had a star of the future on their hands, and his subsequent displays have not disappointed.

Despite only having five caps under his belt, he is also firmly part of the resurgence in Croatian football under national coach Slaven Bilic - alongside the likes of Arsenal striker Eduardo Da Silva and Dinamo Zagreb midfielder Luka Modric.

He qualifies to play for Croatia through his parents, but in fact represented Switzerland at Under-21 level, before turning his back on the country of his birth.

The Swiss crowds at Euro 2008 may give him an unwelcome reception for spurning the chance to play for them, and Rakitic has all the attributes to make them really regret his decision.

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