Raphinha gave the key: “I have improved by understanding that I have to adapt to any position”

Raphinha began the season assuming the role of reference of FC Barcelona and now he is ready to take the same step with the Brazilian team. Surprisingly, his leap in quality had to be made, according to his own analysis, on the initial assumption of being tactical in the service of the team’s needs. “The change came when I understood that if I wanted to play for Barça or the national team I had to adapt to any position,” the player reflected in an interview for Globoesport. “Six months ago I probably wouldn’t have been ready to play in anything other than my most comfortable position,” he said.

Without Real Madrid player Vinicius, he is out with cervical discomfort,

Brazil views the current moment of Raphinha in Barcelona,​​​​where the season started like a shot, with 6 goals and 6 assists. The ‘verdeamarela’ team urgently needs to achieve good results against Chile, in Santiago, and against Peru, in Brasilia, to improve its modest fifth position in the World Cup qualifiers. “I am in one of the best moments of my career, I can guarantee this,” the 27-year-old winger admitted without nuances, who since the arrival of Hansi Flick On Barça’s bench he also often moves as a central playmaker. “The time I spent in Barcelona helped me; in addition to changing my mentality to adapt to other positions I did to play and succeed,” he added.

Upon his arrival at Barcelona in 2022 from Leeds, where he played as a right winger, Raphinha had to adapt to the left wing due to the presence in his preferred field of action of Ousmane Dembelenow at PSG. After the departure of the French from Paris, the spectacular chaos of Lamine Yamal This also occurred while occupying the same area. Assuming a role of serving the team has grown Raphinha so much that he is now even one of the culé captains. “I was obsessed with playing in my place, on the right, where I felt more confident, and I think the change came when I understood that if I wanted to play for Barcelona or the national team I had to adapt to whatever position. , because there is a lot of competition and you have footballers with a lot of quality,” he said.

flip It was suggested to him the need to open tactical ways, such as moving inside, to exploit all his talents, an idea that he himself Raphinha He admits that at first he was suspicious. “At first, I didn’t receive it well, because, for me, it was more comfortable to play in my position, with my back to the stands, almost seeing the whole field in front of me. ” “I was more comfortable there than playing in the middle, with my back to the middle, or on the left side, where I rely more on my good leg,” he described. Accepting his share of tactical responsibility is important to explain his improvement. “Over time, I understand that to play in a good team like Barça or in the national team, one must be predisposed to changes, want to evolve, regardless of whether you play in your position or not.”

The sense of duty for the group was gaining universal recognition, which allowed him to wear the FC Barcelona armband. “If I was chosen captain of Barça, of which I am very proud, it is because of my way of being, of being with everyone, with the most experts, with the youngest. I try to help those who come to the club, if they are kids from the quarry, or from other places, I want their adaptation to be as fast as possible.” he detailed. “Whoever is inside the locker room, who is together every day, knows who the leaders really are,” he noted.