Barcelona star foward Raphinha admitted to RAC1 that he considered leaving the club at one point of his two-year tenure in the Catalonia club.
Raphinha joined Barcelona for a reported $66 million (€60 million) price tag from Leeds United in 2022 but has failed to live up to the hype that brought him to Spain. However, the Brazilian seems to have found his mojo under new manager, Hansi Flick.
The Brazilian currently has three goals and two assists thus far, which have helped Barca maintain a 100% record across four games in 2024/2025 under Hansi Flick.
Raphinha has now admitted that he once considered calling it a day with the Blaugrana.
Raphinha celebrates after scoring for Barcelona. (Photo by Lionel Hahn/Getty Images)
“Did I consider leaving? Yes,” Raphinha confessed to RAC1. “The first six months were complicated for me and my family. After the World Cup I improved and I was able to finish the season well. I was calmer, but at the beginning it was quite difficult.”
“My adaptation was difficult for me. I knew what I had to do, but not that it would be so difficult on a personal level. I once thought about leaving. Barca is a giant club and it’s normal that it’s difficult. I wasn’t used to this, but it happened quickly,” he added.
Raphinha has often been linked with a move away from his club where he has a contract until 2027 – especially when it comes to a switch to Saudi Arabia or a return to the Premier League.
“It is annoying to see rumors of departure, it is normal. Every day there is a different news and this ends up annoying. My head has always been here. Every season I think about doing better than the previous one and showing that I’m capable of being here for many years. I’ve received a lot of offers, but the best one for me is to be at Barca,” he stressed.
Talking about the differences between his last two head coaches in Xavi and Hansi Flick, Raphinha explained that the team now works a “little more physically”.
“It’s normal, each person has their own ways of working. Xavi had a way of thinking, focusing on the ball. Hansi has another one and he believes that the physique will help us more.”
