With 11 goals and five assists in his ten Champions League appearances so far this season, Barcelona’ Raphinha is enjoying one of the greatest campaigns in the tournament’s rich history.
Whether it’s group stage hat-trick against Bayern Munich or three strikes across the two legs of Barca’s last-16 win over Benfica, the Brazilian playmaker’s European displays have been a devastating combination of attacking flair and ruthless efficiency.
Next up for Hansi Flick’s men is a two-legged quarter-final clash against last season’s beaten finalists Borussia Dortmund, as Barcelona’s quest to dethrone rivals Real Madrid as both European and La Liga champions continues.
Raphinha’s Champions League vision revealed
A Champions League win would be the peak of the former Leeds United man’s career so far, and according to Spanish football expert Graham Hunter, Raphinha has dared to dream of lifting up the famous trophy.
Talking to FourFourTwo, Hunter says: “I asked him about visualisation and I said, ‘Look, often when you ask a manager or a player about the future and about potential achievements, I thought, you know, let’s not talk about that or game by game or I don’t want to get ahead of myself.’
“And he was like, ‘No. I have visualised myself lifting the Champions League trophy in a Barcelona shirt. Does that make it guaranteed it’s this season?
“No, but I believe that visualising that happening will help it happen. I believe it’s going to happen.’
“From a personal point of view, I couldn’t agree more in general in sport, that that type of positive thinking is not in any way getting ahead of yourself. It helps a lot.”
Raphinha’s 47 goal contributions this season is already more than double his total from last season, with Hunter crediting Hansi Flick’s impact since replacing club legend Xavi as head coach in the summer.
“My take is that he’s a really fulfilled, very fit: there’s a change of fitness culture at Barcelona with the change in the coaches, and I think all of them are much more durable, much fitter,” Hunter adds. “And I think you’ve got the product of a guy who is 28, I think you’ve got a guy at the peak of his athletic abilities with a wholly new psychological outlook on himself and his profession, with a coach who has told him – not just demonstrated to him – but told him how much faith he has in him.
“That combined has to make this a five-star effervescent season for Raphinha, who feels like a leader and who’s taking responsibility.”
Raphinha has found the going tougher on the international front, with his struggling Brazil side limping to a 4-1 defeat to Argentina last month.
His involvement with the Selecao meant his missed Barca’s win over Osasuna and was an unused substitute against Girona before a 33-minute cameo against Real Betis at the weekend, as Flick looks to manage his key man’s minutes – something that Barcelona’s rivals will not be keen to see.
“In the last seven to 10 days, he’s definitely tired right now,” Hunter says when addressing the issue of burnout. “You can see that, a little bit overplayed. The Brazil defeat was a sore, sore one for him, and I think it was wise for Flick to leave him out.
“And when he was brought back this weekend, I thought he began to resemble the form of most of this season, but he’s not quite at peak as we speak, but I think that will come back. I think it’s temporary that there’s been just a slight impact as to how much he’s been asked to do for club and country.”
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