Barcelona winger Raphinha has admitted that he seriously considered leaving the club after the Copa América but changed his mind following a crucial conversation with new manager Hansi Flick.
Speaking to Globo Esporte and posted on Friday, Raphinha revealed that constant transfer speculation and a below-par season left him mentally unsettled.
“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 Brazilian said.
However, he noted that a personal call from Flick proved decisive.
“Hansi 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. That was a turning point in my decision to stay,” Raphinha stated.
The 28-year-old further explained that after discussing with his wife, he became convinced to remain at Camp Nou.
“I spoke with my wife and told her: If this man is fair and sees the effort I put in, I will stay,” he added.
Raphinha is now in his best form under Flick, as Barcelona aims to compete for major honours this season.
