Raphinha has spoken about his remarkable form for Barcelona this season, revealing that he was not expecting it.
Barcelona's Brazilian forward, Raphinha, has reiterated that he considered leaving the club last summer, but a conversation with then-new manager Hansi Flick convinced him to stay.
In Flick's first season in charge, Barcelona secured a treble, winning La Liga, the Copa del Rey, and the Spanish Super Cup. Raphinha played a pivotal role in this success, scoring 34 goals and providing 24 assists.
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What Raphinha said
In an interview with the Spanish newspaper "Sport", the former Leeds player expressed his disappointment with the lack of confidence shown in him by the previous Barcelona manager, Xavi Hernandez.
"Honestly, I didn't expect to achieve these numbers. My personal goals were nowhere near this. But this season has been the best of my career," he said.
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"I think not only me, but also the people around me, thought I would leave. The fans weren't happy, the management wasn't impressed with my performances, but I knew that with the arrival of the new manager I would have a new opportunity to show my potential," Raphinha added.
"Flick called me and told me he was counting on me. That call was very important for me because it changed my mindset," the player said, as quoted by BTA.
Last week, Raphinha signed a new contract with Barcelona, keeping him at the club until the summer of 2028.