Raphinha said: “I felt that Xavi and his coaching staff did not trust me. I was giving my all for 60 minutes, yet he would substitute me. I spoke to him many times to try to change the situation, but things did not change, as he had his own way of thinking.”
He continued: “When there was no substitute in my position, I would play 90 minutes and give everything, deciding matches, but when another player was available, he would prefer him over me directly. I remember the match against Manchester United in the Europa League, I assisted one goal and scored another, and we were tied 2-2, and I was playing excellently, but suddenly I was substituted. I felt a real shock and exploded with anger on the bench, which was evident in a famous video.”
About his current coach Hans Flick, Raphinha said: “Flick truly cares about the players, and this is a big difference. He reached out to me while I was participating in the Copa America to assure me that he trusts me and includes me in his plans for the upcoming season.”
The Brazilian winger rated his season with Barcelona a 7.5 out of 10, confirming: “For me, just being a candidate for the Ballon d’Or is a personal victory.”
Raphinha concluded his statements by presenting a shortlist of players he believes deserve to be nominated for the Ballon d’Or this season, without revealing the names during the available clip.
