Barcelona forward opens up on his troubled relationship with Xavi – ‘Did not trust me’ | OneFootball

Barcelona winger Raphinha has spoken about his time under former manager Xavi, revealing a troubled relationship that left him feeling unsupported and undervalued.

In a candid conversation with Brazilian journalist Isabela Pagliari (h/t Mundo Deportivo), the forward shared how repeated substitutions made him feel like Xavi and his coaching staff didn’t fully believe in him, no matter how well he played.

“I felt Xavi and his coaching staff didn’t trust me,” Raphinha said openly.

“Sometimes I did everything in 60 minutes, but he would replace me. I tried to fix my situation, I talked to him a lot, but there was no change. He had his own way of thinking,” he noted.

Calling out one specific moment

One moment that stood out for Raphinha was during a key match against Manchester United.

Raphinha had a troubled relationship with Xavi. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

“There’s an iconic video in which I exploded when I arrived at the bench and hit the seat.

“I think it was in the game against Manchester United, where I did really well, scoring a goal and giving an assist. I think we were 2-2 and he took me off.”

He added, “I had also just created a very clear chance. I felt comfortable and was playing very well. And the first substitution was me. When I saw it, I couldn’t believe it.”

The boiling point on the sidelines

His visible frustration didn’t go unnoticed. Raphinha’s reactions after being substituted became a talking point, with fans and media questioning the decisions being made by the coaching staff.

In one instance, the Brazilian admitted he even injured himself after kicking a cooler on the sidelines out of anger.

These outbursts weren’t about ego—they came from a player who believed he could do more and help the team win. Unfortunately, under Xavi’s leadership, those chances felt limited.