{"id":111136,"date":"2026-01-14T22:48:00","date_gmt":"2026-01-14T22:48:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=111136"},"modified":"2026-01-14T22:48:00","modified_gmt":"2026-01-14T22:48:00","slug":"if-flick-hadnt-come-i-would-have-left-barca-raphinha","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/?p=111136","title":{"rendered":"\u2018If Flick hadn\u2019t come, I would have left Barca\u2019 \u2013 Raphinha"},"content":{"rendered":"
\n
\n \t<\/i> Read Time:<\/span>4 Minute, 11 Second <\/div>\n\n <\/div>
\n

Raphinha has been described as a \u201chero\u201d and a \u201cgame-changer\u201d by the Spanish press after his two goals helped Barcelona beat Real Madrid on Sunday to earn a fourth consecutive Super Cup win.<\/p>\n

It marks a shift in perception for a player whose first years at the club were defined by uncertainty.<\/p>\n

When the Brazilian arrived from Leeds United in July 2022, he delivered flashes of quality, but his play was inconsistent. For much of his first two seasons, Raphinha was rotated frequently and often introduced from the bench. In that period, he made 11 substitute appearances and started just 42 of a possible 76 matches.<\/p>\n

\u201cThere was a lot of self-doubt,\u201d Raphinha said when reflecting on his first season at the club. \u201cI have a nasty habit of criticising myself heavily, so that pressure made me think about leaving.\u201d<\/p>\n

Speaking after Sunday\u2019s final, Raphinha admitted he had \u201cstruggled\u201d during his first season with Barcelona, drawing parallels with team-mate Ronald Araujo, who returned to the bench for the final after\u00a0taking time off to work\u00a0on his mental wellbeing.<\/p>\n

But Raphinha\u2019s goal contributions have increased dramatically, his tactical role has expanded, and his importance to the team is no longer questioned. Once a debated squad option, the now 29-year-old has become one of Barcelona\u2019s most dependable performers and a decisive figure in their biggest matches.<\/p>\n

Let\u2019s talk numbers\u2026<\/h2>\n

The most striking difference is in the numbers. Raphinha\u2019s goals and assists have grown steadily each season, particularly during the last campaign and into the current one.<\/p>\n

Crucially, he has developed a habit of delivering on the biggest occasions, scoring twice in the Super Cup final, having scored two in the semi-final. His last-minute winner in the\u00a0club\u2019s 5-4 Champions League group stage win in Benfica last season\u00a0was a key moment for him.<\/p>\n

In his debut season at Barcelona in 2022\u201323, Raphinha registered a combined total of 14 goals and assists. That figure rose modestly to 15 in his second year, before almost doubling last season 27 goal contributions.<\/p>\n

That improvement coincided with a sharp increase in his playing time, as he more than doubled his total minutes on the pitch compared with the previous campaign.<\/p>\n

As Barcelona fan Carlos puts it: \u201cHe constantly breaks away to create attacking options, he\u2019s generous with his passing, and most importantly, his accuracy has improved massively over the years.\u201d<\/p>\n

The influence of Hansi Flick<\/h2>\n
Hansi Flick was Xavi\u2019s successor at Barcelona<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Since Flick replaced Xavi as Barcelona manager in May 2024, Raphinha\u2019s goal and assist contribution has increased dramatically.<\/p>\n

Raphinha attributed his improvement to Flick\u2019s belief in him.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf Hansi Flick hadn\u2019t come, I would have left Barca. He changed everything,\u201d he said. \u201cHe told me that I was going to be important. That\u2019s what a player needs \u2013 confidence.\u201d<\/p>\n

The numbers support his assessment. Under Xavi, Raphinha made 87 appearances, scoring 20 goals and providing 23 assists. Under Flick, he has played 74 matches but has surpassed those totals, scoring 45 goals and registering 26 assists.<\/p>\n

Speaking on Sunday, Flick described Raphinha\u2019s mentality as \u201cunbelievable\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe has a dynamic, which affects the whole team. You can see he missed the first chance he had in the game, but for the second one, he was there, he shoots the first goal and gives the team more confidence.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis is what he brings. Rapha on the pitch is a lot of intensity, and we need this.\u201d<\/p>\n

How fans see him<\/h2>\n

Barcelona supporter Carlos believes the change goes beyond tactics. \u201cRaphinha has much better self-esteem now,\u201d he explains.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe arrived at a club that was in internal turmoil, without clear role models. He was given little confidence and few instructions, and the club even considered selling him. Flick took a chance on him, and now he has a much clearer understanding of his role and responsibilities on the pitch.<\/p>\n

\u201cHe is someone who defends his team-mates, in addition to his enormous contributions on the field. He has great instincts and intelligence on the field, and he still has room to grow.\u201d<\/p>\n

When asked what he thinks has changed, fan Miquel Taberna says: \u201cIn a nutshell \u2013 confidence and maturity.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cI think that now he plays less like a pure winger, and more is able to play in a more inside forward position. He makes smarter runs, presses better and has a better connection with midfielders. Maybe he has switched from \u201coverpaid\u201d to \u201cwe need him in all games\u201d<\/p>\n

Fellow supporter Diego Sanchez said: \u201cHis off-the-ball movement is pure gold for a team featuring players like Lamine Yamal or Pedri. His attitude and leadership have turned him into a true captain.<\/p>\n

\u201cThanks to Hansi Flick, Raphinha has gone from being a player who could have been forgotten by Barca fans to someone who could end up in the club\u2019s history books as one of the greatest Brazilian players.\u201d<\/p>\n<\/div>\n

\n
\n \n
\n \n \"Happy\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Happy <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n \n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Sad\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Sad <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Excited\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Excited <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Sleepy\"\n <\/a>\n
\n Sleepy <\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n \n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Angry\"\n <\/a>\n
Angry<\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n \n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n
\n \n \"Surprise\"\n <\/a>\n
Surprise<\/div>\n
\n 0<\/span>\n 0<\/span> %<\/span>\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n <\/div>\n <\/div>\n\n ","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
\"'IfRaphinha has been described as a “hero” and a “game-changer” by Spanish press after his two goals helped Barcelona beat Real Madrid on Sunday to earn a fourth consecutive Super Cup win.<\/div>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"rop_custom_images_group":[],"rop_custom_messages_group":[],"rop_publish_now":"initial","rop_publish_now_accounts":{"facebook_2277560469115098_106292521332774":"","twitter_aToxNzczMzI3Njk4OTg4ODUxMjAxOw==_1773327698988851200":""},"rop_publish_now_history":[],"rop_publish_now_status":"pending","_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"footnotes":""},"categories":[11237,137,10,9,15369],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-111136","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-barca","category-football","category-politics","category-popular","category-raphinha"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111136","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=111136"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/111136\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=111136"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=111136"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/sotnews.agency\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=111136"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}