Raphinha Reveals Frustration with Xavi at Barcelona

Raphinha revealed his frustration with former Barcelona coach, Xavi Hernández — feeling that he never received full trust during his time under his leadership.

The Brazilian winger often had to settle for a role as a substitute or was taken off early, despite contributing to LaLiga success in the 2023 season. The competition with Ousmane Dembélé, Lamine Yamal, and Ferran Torres made his position even more difficult.

“I feel that the coaching staff didn’t trust me. When no one else was available, I played 90 minutes. I gave everything and made an impact on the match, but when there were players available for my position, they would choose them without a second thought,” said Raphinha.

One of the most memorable incidents occurred during a match against Manchester United in the Europa League — where he was substituted despite scoring a goal and providing an assist.

Under Xavi’s leadership, Raphinha played in 87 matches, with 27 of them as a substitute and only 8 full 90-minute appearances. His attempts to communicate with the coach were unsuccessful.

However, Raphinha’s form has drastically improved under new coach Hansi Flick — scoring 31 goals this season from 52 appearances, with 48 of them as a starter. Now, he is preparing to face Inter Milan in the second leg of the Champions League semifinal.