What a year it has been for Raphinha. The Brazilian arrived at Camp Nou from Leeds in 2022, and while it took him some time to establish himself as a star, he has truly done it. This recent breakthrough has come under new manager Hansi Flick, unlike the less favorable period under Xavi, who managed the club until the end of last season.
Raphinha recently opened up on his time with playing under the former Barcelona legend. While he didn’t directly attack, or accuse him of contributing to his slow start to life in Catalonia, Raphina did find something amusing.
“With Xavi, I knew that no matter what I did, I would be taken off in the 60th minute. This is not a criticism of him, but it’s funny because it always happened,” he said as quoted by Barca Universal.
Raphinha scored just 7 goals in 36 games in his first season at Barcelona, a tally that dropped to 6 in the following campaign. While he showed flashes of brilliance, he struggled to consistently put together strong performances.
Raphinha: “With Xavi, I knew that no matter what I did, I would be taken off in the 60th minute. This is not a criticism of him, but it’s funny because it always happened.” pic.twitter.com/TXdmx5Rii7
— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) November 2, 2024
Fans frequently pointed out that Xavi often substituted him before the end of games, a pattern Raphinha himself mentioned. It’s possible this contributed to a dip in his confidence.
Under Flick’s ultra-offensive tactics in 24/25, however, Raphinha has found new confidence and consistency, transforming Barcelona into an attacking powerhouse. His improvement is clear in the numbers: six goals in 11 La Liga appearances and an impressive 4 goals in just 3 UEFA Champions League games.
Who knows—if Xavi had stayed, this formidable version of Raphinha might never have emerged.
