Barcelona winger was confident of winning over Flick – ‘Was sure he was going to fall in love with me’

If one is to speak on the most improved players in Barcelong this season, Raphinha is one of the strongest contenders by far.

From being a surplus player to becoming the team’s most vial presence on the field, the Brazilian has turned his situation around under the new manager in a relatively new niche on the field.

Raphinha has not only been the team’s creator in chief and orchestrator in the final third but has always ensured to step up on the big nights, scoring a hat-trick against Bayern Munich and netting a goal in El Clasico earlier this week.

Raphinha’s detailed interview

Speaking on YouTube in a recent interview with LoSimpleNoVale via Mundo Deportivo, the Brazilian winger touched on several topics including his start to the seaosn, the team’s performance, life under Hansi Flick and some special teammates.

He began, however, by praising Barcelona’s latest Kopa Trophy winner Lamine Yamal and the special bond he shares with him.

“He is my boy, I have a very special affection for him. He is one of the best in the world and will be one of the best in the world.”

Turning the clock back to the summer transfer window when he was extensively linked with a departure from the club to aid with the financial situation, he revaled how it was hard on him to see such news on the media.

“When rumours come out that the club wants to sell you, the fans tell you all the bad things,” he began.

“It’s impossible that it doesn’t cross your mind to go out and not be a problem for the club. I’m a person who won’t be where they don’t want me,” he added.

He then explained how he turned his situation around under Hansi Flick and how he was confident of winning the manager’s favour.

“I was sure that with a week of work with Flick, he was going to fall in love with me.”

Speaking on his love for Barcelona and why he opted to join the club despite being close to a move to Chelsea, he said,

“Barça was a priority because of seeing great Brazilians succeed in this club. I have a special affection for this club, which I don’t know where it came from, not since I was little, but since I was in Brazil. I always had as a priority to wear this shirt.”

“I received many calls and I was always very sincere, I had a dream and I had to fulfill it. If I have been able to fulfill my dream of signing for Barça, it is because Xavi has loved me very much here,” he added on Xavi’s role in his arrival.

Now a captain for Barcelona, Raphinha has come a long way and is one of the players who leads by action on the field be it on the ball or off it.

“It is important that young people feel sheltered by the most veterans and that’s what I do. I try to help everyone, veterans, young people, staff. The armband makes me feel caressed, but I’ve always been like that,” he said on his captaincy.

The player was then quizzed about the difference between Xavi and Flick, to which he rightly pointed that it was not always about the manager but the mentality of the dressing room.

“If the players are not willing to work hard, not even the best coach in the world can solve it. Not winning anything last season has made us arrive this year with a different mentality. If last year we were giving 100% now we have to give 200%.”

Over the past week, Barcelona have beaten Bayern Munich and Real Madrid but Raphinha refused to call it the most important week of the season.

“The most important week is yet to come.”

“Playing a Classic is always special, it cannot be described with words,” he added on El Clasico.

Finally, the Brazilian gave his two cents on the Spotify Camp Nou which will reopen partially in the coming months.

“Camp Nou is a unique stadium. When I played at Sporting Lisbon I went to do the tour and from the moment I entered I fell in love.”

“I arrived just to play at the old Camp Nou and I want to play and win titles in the new one,” he concluded.