Captain and scorer, Raphinha wins over the dressing room and Hansi Flick, but also the Barça fans. When the Brazilian seemed condemned to carry the weight of his high cost (58 million), the culé fans vindicated the forward’s feisty and decisive football. “Raphinha, Raphinha, Raphinha,” the crowd sang in Montjuïc after he scored an assist and a goal against Young Boys. Success from Hansi Flick to enhance it, but fundamentally from Raphinha’s resilience. “We knew that we had to give a response to the game in Monaco. We did very well. We lost in the League in Pamplona and we had to respond. In front of our fans it is much easier because of their support. “I’m glad we came out with a good victory,” said Raphinha, who won the MVP of the game.
When Deco took charge of sports management, Dembélé’s agents convinced him that it was better to emigrate. They believed that the new sports area would pamper Raphinha over the French striker. Dembélé then broke his pact with Xavi and in the summer of 2023 he left for Paris. Raphinha’s moment at Barça was then glimpsed. But not. It happened then that the locker room lost confidence in Xavi, at the same time that the team was lost on the field.
Raphinha was not part of the group in the locker room that privately criticized Xavi, but he did not support him either. However, when the Catalan coach was fired from Barça, Raphinha breathed. Flick’s dizzying football predicted a better future for him at Barça. From the outset, the first thing the forward highlighted about his new coach was his ability to work. “I like it, now we train,” he commented to his surroundings.
It turned out, in any case, that Flick not only found his best version when the forward attacks the space, bordering on the left wing, since his favorite, the right, has an owner named Lamine Yamal. Against Young Boys, Raphinha slipped between the midfielders, behind Lewandowski. His play between the lines was equally effective for the coach. When the Swiss team was cornered near their goal, the Brazilian sneaked into the area so that Lewandowski scored against a new team in Europe, number 35. Only Messi (40) and Cristiano (39) have more victims than the Pole. “I have always had the desire I had to play well. What has changed the most in my game is the position on the field. You always have to run. The result doesn’t matter. The most important thing is to give everything for the team,” said Raphinha.
But Raphinha was not satisfied. And he appeared precisely to water Montjuïc with tranquility. When Young Boys threatened to appear in Iñaki Peña’s area, the Brazilian scored Barcelona’s second, his sixth goal of the season. In addition, he adds three assists. All in 10 games. Led by Raphinha, Barcelona recovers in Europe after the setback in Monaco. Flick vindicates Raphinha, so does the Barcelona fan. “Raphinha has played very well. But we can’t just talk about one player. It is important to play as a team. Raphinha can only play well if his teammates do too,” Flick said.
Raphinha was not the only one honored by the Barça fans. Ansu Fati and De Jong returned to Montjuïc and the public pampered two players affected by injuries. “When you are injured you always have a hard time. It’s a hard process. I didn’t expect such an ovation. “I am very happy for the way people treat me,” explained the Dutchman. And he added: “I see the team in good shape, in a good moment. A lot of energy, a lot of dynamism, we are playing well. We have to continue like this and improve, to see how far we go.” Along the same lines, Iñigo Martínez added: “Since the coach arrived, the idea worked well. We had a great preseason and we feel comfortable with this style of play. We arrive with much more clarity and the team is looser. Let’s continue and don’t let this stop.” And Raphinha closed: “We have this idea of pressing high and we are doing it very well. We are working very well. Physically, everyone on the field is strong. The Brazilian is supported by his goals and assists.
