Barcelona captain reveals the one factor that could make him consider leaving the club | OneFootball

Speaking in an interview with TNT Sports Brazil, Raphinha has discussed his career so far at Barcelona, the highs and lows, and the criticism that has come along with it.

The 27-year-old Brazilian winger joined the Catalans from Leeds United in 2022 and has been a consistent performer despite not getting his due praise in his first two seasons at the club.

Things have gotten a lot better for Raphinha this season as he has become one of the faces of the team under Hansi Flick and is also among the club captains. His performances this season have put his name among the contenders for Ballon d’Or 2025.

What could make Raphinha consider leaving Barcelona?

Given his exploits, Raphinha has attracted serious interest from clubs in the Premier League and Saudi Arabia, with the latter even being ready to splash out big sums of money to lure him away from Barcelona.

However, Raphinha is focused on continuing at Barça and succeeding at the club. But when asked if there was anything that could make him consider leaving, the winger replied:

“The club. I’m someone who thinks this way: I’ll only stay where they want me to stay. I might want to stay here my whole life, but if I feel they don’t want me here, I’ll have no problem thanking them.

“I’m the most grateful person in the world to have worn this shirt, but if I feel the club doesn’t want me, I’ll say thank you very much, and I’ll go to where they want me.”

On criticism against him

While Raphinha is at the top of the world currently, he has had some tough times at Barcelona, with the winger being at the receiving end of criticism from fans and media at various junctures over the past three years.

“It’s very funny because you often feel that the journalist, without generalizing, lives inside the dressing room more than the player himself! It seems as if they know everything that goes on there, just to sell a story that is often false,” he noted.

On being probed about speculation that he was being criticised in the dressing room and some bad behaviour, he replied:

“Funny, very funny, It’s funny, but thank God I don’t focus on such comments, which are often malicious and aim to destabilize the player and the entire team.”

From being criticised to being cherished, Raphinha has come a long way. (Photo by Alex Caparros/Getty Images)

On how he dealt with claims that his performances had dipped midway through the season, Raphinha responded by saying:

“Yes, but they forgot that in November I suffered a hamstring injury. In January, I suffered another injury and didn’t return to regular play until around the end of February or the beginning of March.

“When you come back from a hamstring injury, it’s normal that you’re not 100%, physically or mentally. Because you’re still afraid of giving it your all and getting injured again, which could put you out for another four weeks or more.

“So it’s normal that your physical and mental confidence isn’t at its best. But people often forget to look at this side.”

Continuing on the matter of how he deals with criticism, Raphinha added: “This is something I don’t focus on, because I personally know when I’m good and when I’m bad. I don’t need anyone to tell me I was good or bad.

“Therefore, criticism is acceptable when it focuses on the bad things I did on the pitch. As for malicious criticism, it comes from someone with very bad intentions, trying to destabilize the player as a player, and even as a person.”

“Before, it did, but with my current attitude, I no longer let it get in my head. I’ve always known who I am inside football and in my personal life.”