Raphinha revealed he nearly quit Barcelona after not "feeling mentally comfortable" but a call from Hansi Flick changed his mind.

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• Barcelona were ready to sell Raphinha last summer
• Arrival of Flick helped him earn a fresh lease of life
• Has been in sensational form this campaign for the Catalans

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  WHAT HAPPENED?

  The Brazilian attacker had endured a difficult start to life in Spain, with back-to-back seasons failing to live up to expectations. Barcelona were actively pursuing Nico Williams in the summer of 2023, leading to speculation that Raphinha would be sold to finance the move. Constant transfer rumours and criticism made the winger question his future at the Catalan club.

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  WHAT RAPHINHA SAID

  Speaking to , Raphinha opened up about how the continuous chatter about his possible exit made him seriously contemplate walking away from Barcelona.

  "I was thinking about leaving Barça after the Copa América," he said. “I wasn’t feeling mentally comfortable until Flick called me. Every day, there were rumours about me signing for one team or another. Things didn’t go as they should have; I had a worse season than expected, and I saw people asking me to leave while reports of my departure surfaced daily. I seriously considered leaving."

• THE BIGGER PICTURE

  After Brazil’s Copa America campaign, Flick made a crucial call to Raphinha, urging him to attend training before making any final decision. The forward decided to give it one last shot, setting himself a personal challenge to prove his worth.

  "Flick called me and asked me to come to training before making a decision because he wanted to talk to me and counted on me," he said.

  “That was a turning point in my decision to stay. I spoke with my wife and told her: If this man is fair and sees the effort I put into training, I’ll make him want me in a week, and he won’t regret it. And I think I was right."

• DID YOU KNOW?

  Raphinha’s transformation has been reflected in his outstanding numbers this season. In 42 matches, he has found the back of the net 27 times and assisted 20 goals, making him one of the most productive players in Europe. His sensational form has placed him in Ballon d’Or discussions, a prospect that seemed unthinkable just a year ago.