Raphinha was about to leave Barça last summer: what stopped him?

Raphinha was very close to no longer being a player for FC Barcelona. That's right, the left winger, who is now one of the undisputed leaders of the Blaugrana team, scoring 27 goals and providing 20 assists in 42 matches, contemplated leaving the Catalan team during the last summer transfer window.

At that time, he was one of the main candidates to be part of the 'exit operation' due to his high market value (80 million euros). Additionally, 'Rapha' had numerous suitors willing to invest large amounts in his signing.

This is not mere speculation, as Raphinha himself revealed in an interview with 'Globo Esporte' that he was very close to leaving the Culé team at the beginning of the season and explained the reasons behind this option. "Things weren't going well, I was coming off a season below what I could deliver and I saw people asking me to leave, which was not good for the club. Every day there were news that I would leave. I ended up thinking about it," he emphasized.

"Every day there were news that I would leave. I ended up thinking about it"

Hansi Flick was key to Raphinha not leaving Barcelona

However, Raphinha ended up changing his mind and decided to bet on staying at FC Barcelona, thanks to the intervention of a key person: Hansi Flick. "After the Copa America, Hansi called me and told me to show up for training before making any decision, that he wanted to talk and that he counted on me," revealed the international player with the 'Seleção'.

Hansi Flick's intervention was decisive for the player to stay at FC Barcelona, as the German coach managed to instill confidence in him and provide him with the necessary opportunities to unleash his full potential. "This was an important point in the decision to stay. Talking with my wife, I told her that if he (Hansi Flick) was a fair guy and judged players based on their dedication in training, I would have a week to show myself as a player and he wouldn't regret it. I think it worked," commented the number '11'.

RAPHINHA'S NUMBERS AT FC BARCELONA 🔵🔴:

• Matches: 129
• Goals: 47
• Assists: 20
• Minutes Played: 8,316'

The keys to his improvement and his chances of winning the Ballon d'Or

Raphinha also pointed out what, in his opinion, is the key to the great season he is having, a matter he attributed to several reasons, one of them being the strengthening of his psychological aspect. "The mental aspect is even more important than just taking care of the body. If the mind is not right, the body does not respond as it should. Midway through last season, after my injury, I intensified my mental work with a psychologist," warned 'Rapha'.

When asked about his chances of winning the 2025 Ballon d'Or, the winger simply stated, "Being named as one of the favorites is already a victory after everything I've been through in my career".