(Corrects to say goal and assists are across all competitions in paragraph three)
Barcelona winger Raphinha said he had considered leaving the club but decided to stay after a call with coach Hansi Flick, who gave him a fresh opportunity to prove himself.
Raphinha initially struggled under previous coach Xavi Hernandez, saying the Spaniard and his staff did not show much trust in his abilities. He became a regular starter under Flick, compared to just 17 starts in LaLiga during the 2023–24 season.
The 28-year-old Brazilian was instrumental in Barcelona’s LaLiga title run, contributing 34 goals and 25 assists in all competitions. However, Raphinha said he had not even thought about reaching those numbers before the campaign began.
“Honestly, I didn’t expect it. The personal goals I had were below these numbers… It has been the best season of my life,” Raphinha told Spanish daily SPORT in a interview published on Friday.
Raphinha conceded that neither he nor those around him saw him continuing at Barcelona before Flick arrived and persuaded him to stay.
“I didn’t think it was just me, a lot of people wanted me to leave here. Many fans, maybe the board was not happy with what I was doing, many people. I am a person who thinks that if you are not welcome in a place, it is better not to be in it,” he said.
“There is no point in banging your head against the wall. I know the way I dedicate myself to my profession and I knew that when the coach changed I had a new opportunity to show my potential and my way of working.
“The coach had called me and told me that he was counting on me. That call was very important because it changed my way of thinking. The only person who could stop me was him and he did.”
Last week, Raphinha signed a contract renewal that will keep him at the club until 30 June 2028. He is set to play in Brazil’s World Cup qualifiers, facing Ecuador away on June 5 and Paraguay at home on June 10.
