Raphinha wanted to leave Barcelona before his turnaround.

Raphinha wanted to leave Barcelona in his first season, disclosing how close he was to exiting the Catalan Club, according to reports from The BBC sports.

The Brazilian international has been an instrumental part of Hansi Flick’s team over the past 18 months. He is described by some Barcelona fans as a hero after surviving undoubtedly the most difficult part of his career in his first season at Barcelona. 

The 29-year-old was the star man in the Supercopa de España final between Barcelona and Real Madrid, getting a late goal to make it 3-2  to decide the game in favor of Barcelona.

Speaking to BBC after the game, the Brazilian international disclosed that “if coach Hansi Flick hadn’t come, I would have departed Barcelona a long time ago.

The coach talked to me and said that I was going to be an important part of his project, and that gave me confidence.

As a player, I think that this is the most important part of your career because you need the assurance of your manager to boost your confidence. 

I doubt myself, and most times I criticize myself harshly; that has become a habit of mine. So the pressure at Barcelona nearly made me quit.”

Raphinha was still a hot cake in the transfer market despite his bad form at Barcelona. 

Despite the player’s dip in form, he still attracted so many top clubs in Europe’s top four leagues.

Top clubs in the Premier League like Chelsea, Tottenham Hotspur, and Manchester United were all interested in getting his services in case he leaves Barcelona. 

And in the summer of 2022, when Barcelona was in negotiations with Leeds United for Raphinha, Chelsea was among the top clubs that had registered their interest in him.

But after careful assessment, Raphinha decided to join Barcelona ahead of Chelsea and other interested clubs in the Premier League.

A New Chapter of Consistency and Success in his Barcelona Career

Raphinha is currently considered as the heart of Hansi Flick’s front-foot attacking football.

He has contributed too much to the success of the team and has become an integral part of the Barcelona setup. 

Last season he made 57 appearances for the Catalans and scored 34 goals and made 22 assists in all competitions, making him the top scorer and assister on the team.

This performance led him to finish 5th in the Ballon d’Or awards.

This season, out of 17 matches, he has scored 11 goals and made 4 assists in all competitions. He also contributed hugely in Barcelona’s victory over Real Madrid in the Supercopa de España after scoring two goals, with the second in the late minutes to decide the game for Barca. 

The chemistry between Raphinha, Lamine Yamal, and Robert Lewandowski is enormous. When he’s on the pitch, he gives Barcelona a lot of options with both his attacking and pressing qualities.

Once a regular player in the Barca squad, now he is the most important player in Hansi Flick’s team.