Raphinha admits he was ready to leave Barcelona before Flick changed his mind: ‘Looking back today…’

Raphinha admits he was ready to leave Barcelona before Flick changed his mind: ‘Looking back today…’ Raphinha has revealed that one conversation with Hansi Flick completely changed the course of his Barcelona career, admitting he had already decided to leave the club before the German manager convinced him to stay. The Barcelona captain has developed into one of the most important players in Flick’s team, even adapting to a new role as a number nine.  However, looking back, in an interview with The Guardian , Raphinha believes none of it would have happened without that conversation during the summer of 2024. Flick convinced Raphinha to stay at Barcelona Raphinha makes no secret of the influence Flick has had on both his career and his outlook. The Brazilian says the manager arrived when his mind was already elsewhere. “The manager has changed my life. I’ll always say that, forever and ever. He’s the person who changed my mindset – both at the club and as a person,” he began. Explaining just how close he came to leaving, Raphinha revealed that he had effectively written off his future in Catalonia before Flick intervened. “He arrived at a time, in 2024, when I’d practically written off my time at Barcelona. My mind was already elsewhere; I wanted to leave.  “If I hadn’t had that conversation with Flick and he hadn’t convinced me in a matter of minutes that he was counting on me and trusted me, I wouldn’t be here now. It was hugely important to me.” The conversation happened while Raphinha was still on holiday following the Copa America. Flick called him directly and asked him to delay making any decision. “I was still on holiday after the Copa America when he rang me and said: ‘Before you make a decision, come and have a chat.’ “Of course, I did just that. He told me he felt I was still going to be very important to the team and that the team was going to be important in helping me develop as a player. Raphinha credits Flick for his Barcelona success. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images) “Looking back today, it has to be said that’s exactly how it turned out.” For Raphinha, the manager did not need a lengthy explanation to win him over, as his trust was enough. “He didn’t give me a specific reason, nor did he need to explain everything in detail.  “When a manager instils confidence in you, a few words are enough. And I immediately felt that he had complete faith in me.” Raphinha explains his evolution into a number nine His change of position has been another major part of Raphinha’s transformation under Flick.  Rather than being an overnight tactical switch , the Brazilian describes it as a gradual evolution that has taken place over two seasons. “It was more of a gradual process, an adaptation that has taken place over the last two years and which meant that, little by little, I moved further inwards and played in a more central position.  “That’s how I gradually got closer to the opposition’s goal. I like it, because it’s working a treat.” The experiment was first properly tested in a friendly in Basel “because Hamza wasn’t due to start and we gave it a go; then, before the match against Elche, the manager asked me if I felt comfortable there and I told him I did.” Raphinha backs Lamine Yamal for the Ballon d’Or Raphinha also offered strong support for Lamine Yamal, describing his relationship with the teenager as similar to that of an older brother and making his position on the Ballon d’Or clear . Raphinha has backed Lamine Yamal for Ballon d’Or. (Photo by Fran Santiago/Getty Images) “It should go to whoever stands out individually and wins team titles. His magic and charisma are, for me, the main reasons he should win the award.” Raphinha then pointed to Yamal’s numbers and trophy haul as further evidence of his case. “Lamine has some spectacular statistics. Not just this season: he had them last season too, and now he’s got off to another extraordinary start. “He won two of the three possible titles with Barça and, on top of that, the World Cup with the national team. He’s the number one candidate; he should win it.” Asked about his own omission from the Ballon d’Or shortlist, as well as Pedri’s, Raphinha chose not to revisit the issue. “I’m not talking about that anymore. I’ll just say this: if Lamine were to win, it would be a consolation for me, a source of satisfaction”. For Raphinha, Barcelona’s next major challenge is the Champions League. The memory of the 2025 defeat to Inter Milan remains painful, but he believes the current squad has learned from that experience. “Anyone who was on the pitch knows just how much the 2025 elimination against Inter Milan hurt. We had one foot in the final.  “But we all know we had a fairly young team that lacked a bit of maturity when it came to managing matches.  “Now we feel better prepared. We have everything it takes to win any title,” he concluded.