Under Hansi Flick’s leadership, Barcelona has reached a new level after years of struggling since Lionel Messi’s departure. The German coach has proven to be a real revelation, significantly improving many of the team’s existing players — one of them being Raphinha.
Raphinha had faced difficulties since his 2022 transfer from Leeds United, but since Flick’s arrival, he has been outstanding. The Brazilian even admitted that he might no longer be part of Barcelona if it weren’t for the German coach, as he revealed in an interview with ESPN Brazil (via Mundo Deportivo):
“Of course, I thought about leaving; I thought maybe it was time to move on. But then I spoke with the coach — first over the phone and later at the start of pre-season — and he managed to convince me to stay. Thank God he did.”
“The offer we received from Saudi Arabia really made me hesitate. It would have secured my personal life, my parents’, my son’s, and that of many others. I’ve been in football since I was 15 years old; I’ve had good and bad moments everywhere, and there came a time when I thought it was time to take care of myself and my family.”
Raphinha finished last season with 34 goals and 22 assists but hasn’t started the current campaign at the same pace. So far, he has scored 3 goals and provided 2 assists in 7 appearances, though an injury has kept him sidelined in recent weeks. Nevertheless, he is expected to return soon and regain the form that made him one of the key players under Flick’s management.
