Brazilian forward Raphinha, currently at FC Barcelona, revealed in an interview with journalist Isabela Pagliari his perception of his relationship with his former coach Xavi Hernández. Raphinha expressed his dissatisfaction at feeling that Xavi did not fully trust him and prioritized other players, even being substituted despite his performance in key matches, such as against Manchester United, where he scored a goal and provided an assist.
In his statistics, it is noted that under Xavi's management, Raphinha played 37 matches, 25 as a starter, accumulating a total of 1,949 minutes in which he scored 10 goals. In contrast, with Hansi Flick, who is now in charge, he has participated in 52 matches, 48 of them as a starter, totaling 4,205 minutes of play and 31 goals. The player highlighted the difference in treatment, mentioning that Flick cares about the players and demonstrated it by supporting him during the 2024 Copa América.
Raphinha stated that Xavi had his own preconceived ideas, which generated some friction in their relationship, as the player felt a lack of trust from the coach. The Brazilian stated that even when doing everything possible in 60 minutes, he was sometimes substituted, which led him to question his place in the team and his valuation by Xavi. However, under Hansi Flick's management, Raphinha emphasizes a positive change in his experience at FC Barcelona and feels supported by his new coach.
