The arrival of Hansi Flick on Barcelona’s bench brought tremendous positive changes for the Catalan giant, and beyond the fantastic results, what stands out most is what he did with Brazilian forward Raphinha.
Barcelona’s phenomenal season start was capped with convincing wins over Bayern Munich (4-1) and Real Madrid (4-0) within a few days. From a team that was in decline, German expert Hansi Flick has created a powerful machine that is vying for every trophy this season.
However, the most notable change has been in Raphinha. The Brazilian forward, whom Barcelona paid heavily for from Leeds, had solid statistical parameters over the past two seasons, but he was widely seen as a failure. The club tried to move him on during the summer, and his “11” jersey number was even set to be given to Nico Williams, who ultimately didn’t join “Camp Nou.” Instead, within a few months, Raphinha has become the best-form player in Europe.
Raphinha has scored 10 goals and provided seven assists for Barcelona this season, making this his third-most successful season so far, and it’s only the beginning. It’s clear that the time has come for him to improve all his personal stats.
The Brazilian winger appeared in an interview on the YouTube channel “LoSimpleNoVale” with journalist Alberto Hernandez, explaining what has changed.
“When rumors start circulating that the club wants to sell you, the fans say the worst about you. It’s impossible not to leave the club in such a situation because you don’t want to be a problem for the club. I’m the kind of person who doesn’t want to be where I’m not wanted,” said Raphinha. He later revealed that in his first meeting with Hansi Flick, it was clear that the partnership would be successful.
“I knew from day one, after seven days of working together, that Hansi would fall in love with me,” the Brazilian declared.
This happened quickly. Flick gave Raphinha complete freedom on the field and in the locker room. The German coach made him one of the leaders in the locker room and a key player for the team, giving him the captain’s armband. He also entrusted him with mentoring young players.
“If we gave 100 percent last year, now with Flick, we have to give 200 percent, and that’s the reason for our success,” Raphinha declared.
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