Thinking back now seems funny, but Barcelona almost sold Raphinha in the summer of 2024. In the first few seasons at Camp Nou, he has not created a corresponding impact, but market value is still at a good level. Therefore, the Catalan team - which is under financial pressure - has seriously considered selling him to have resources to pursue Nico Williams.
Raphinha himself is also ready to leave, and that is not the first time that thought has appeared. He once considered leaving Barca in the early stages described as very difficult at the club.
Adapting to the club is quite difficult. I knew it had to happen, but I didn't expect it to be so difficult personally. That made me a little confused. Sometimes I thought about leaving - not at the end of the season, but right in the first half of the season. Barca is a big club and adapting is difficult is normal. But I'm not used to that kind of difficulty" - Raphinha said.
In the second half of his second season, Raphinha began to regain stability. He admitted that the big boost came from the Champions League quarter-final match against Paris Saint-Germain, where he scored 3 goals - a turning point that helped the Brazilian international unlock his form. But the paradox is that that improvement made the possibility of leaving Barcelona even more present, because it attracted more attention from other clubs.
However, the decisive turning point came from the upper echelons. Barcelona sacked Xavi and appointed Hansi Flick, a change that reversed the whole story.
Raphinha frankly admitted that he was a bit disappointed in the way Xavi used him. The 29-year-old player has no problem with completing the defensive task. However, he believes that he is often asked to retreat too deep and stick to the wing too wide. The consequence is that Raphinha does not feel like he is participating in Barcelona's attacks as expected.
Currently, Raphinha is playing a central role in Barcelona's plans. To the point that every time he is absent, that gap is very clear, both in terms of deployment rhythm and the level of injury at one-third of the end of the field.
Barcelona has lost 4 matches in all competitions this season. Raphinha was absent in 3 of those matches due to injury, the other match he only sat on the bench. Since recovering from a hamstring injury that caused him to be out for 2 months, Raphinha has started 7 matches. It is not surprising that Barca won all 7, of which the Brazilian international directly contributed to 8 goals.
Raphinha's influence also goes beyond numbers. He becomes a leader in the dressing room to the point that just his presence on the field is enough to create a clear spiritual effect for those around him.
Even Raphinha could be a psychological support for Flick. In the hard-fought victory over Alaves in November last year, he approached to reassure the coach sitting on the coaching bench with a worried and emotional look.
Barcelona currently owns a 9-game winning streak in all competitions, in which the 5-0 destruction of Athletic Bilbao in the Spanish Super Cup semi-finals is a clear statement of ambition. Once again, Raphinha plays the central role - assisting 2 goals and scoring one goal himself. That is the type of "determining" performance that he maintained with an incredible frequency last season, and also suggests the possibility that 2026 will be even more successful than 2025 for him personally.
Raphinha called the Champions League a personal challenge and the World Cup his biggest dream. But he also frankly admitted that he was motivated by the feeling of disappointment because he did not receive recognition that he believed he deserved after his career's best season. And for Barcelona, that could be a kind of not bad motivation.
