FC Barcelona has had one of the leaders of the squad in Raphinha during the good start to the season for the team led by Hansi Flick. The Brazilian has managed to adapt to the interior/midfield role, with a greater impact on the Barça attack by partnering with Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski. In 11 games he already has 6 goals and 6 assists, almost half of his offensive contribution in 2023/24 (10 goals and 13 assists in 37 appearances).
In an exclusive chat with the Brazilian portal 'GE', from 'Globo', the Barcelona winger said he was going through "one of the best moments of his career". In addition to the time he has been in Barcelona (two years), the man from Porto Alegre points out his willingness to always work hard and the change in mentality to adapt to other positions as two key factors to take a step forward in the Barça team.
"I was very obsessed with wanting to play in my place on the right, which was the place where I felt most confident... I think that the change occurred when I understood that, if I wanted to play for Barça or the Seleçao, I would have to adapt to any position because there is a lot of competition and you are next to players with a lot of quality. You have to be willing to evolve," Rapha explained.
Raphinha, much more confident thanks to his new role at Barça
In that sense, he revealed that, during the summer, he had to work hard to adapt to what Hansi Flick asked of him. "At first, when they told me, I didn't receive it at all because, for me, it was much more comfortable to play in my position, with my back to the stands, being able to see practically the entire field in front of me. I felt much more comfortable there rather than acting centrally or on the left side, where I am a bit hostage to my good leg," explained the '11'.
Furthermore, Raphinha valued his leadership within a locker room where he now feels much more "mature", although he has always been willing to facilitate the adaptation of the players who are joining, especially the youngest ones. "If I have been elected captain of Barcelona, of which I am very proud, it is a consequence of my way of being, of getting along with everyone, with the oldest, with the youngest. I try to help those who come to the club , whether they are the kids from the quarry or from other places," he pointed out in the talk with 'GE', prior to Chile-Brazil for the World Cup qualifiers.