'I knew I was leaving' - Raphinha reveals Hansi Flick intervention stopped him from QUITTING Barcelona after exit decision

The Brazil international faced an uncertain future in Catalonia prior to Flick's appointment in 2024. Speculation surrounded the winger as his standing within the squad appeared to dwindle. However, a crucial meeting with the incoming German boss completely altered his career trajectory.

Instead of packing his bags, Raphinha remained in Spain and evolved into a vital asset for the Blaugrana, spearheading their charge to the 2024-25 domestic crown. The Brazilian forward recorded a staggering 34 strikes and 26 assists across 57 outings during that season.

Raphinha followed up that stellar campaign with another league triumph in 2025-26. Despite battling fitness issues, he returned a highly respectable 21 goals and eight assists in 33 matches, fully justifying his manager's early intervention and earning a spot in the club's leadership group.

Opening up on his near-departure, the forward explained exactly how close he came to securing a transfer. A frank discussion with his new manager provided the exact reassurance he required to recommit to the Catalan giants.

"In my head, I knew I was leaving. That was [mentally] done, that’s the truth," Raphinha revealed in an interview with Guardian. "I was in Brazil and Flick called. He said come talk to him before taking a final decision. I met him and he said he trusted in me, that I was going to be important, that the team[’s play] would be good for me. In a moment like that, a few small words can change you.

"I felt a lot of faith in me. He gave me the confidence to play my football. I got an idea into my head: give everything, your life, regardless of the personal moment you’re in."

Raphinha continued: "The coach-player relationship is the most important in football. From the moment [Flick] arrived, we could talk to him about anything - and anything is anything.

"That time, I saw him, head down. At first, I didn’t really understand why. I asked what was wrong. He said he felt the team wasn’t playing well. From what I remember, I told him it was OK, we’d won and we would play well again. I prefer a thousand times to win playing badly than lose playing well. Win games, confidence and the football comes."

The winger emphasised the profound impact of that managerial support on his overall self-belief. He added: "I always have and always will say that he changed my mentality, changed me as a person."

Raphinha's resurgence goes beyond improved on-pitch performances. Being elevated to the captaincy by his dressing-room colleagues marked a major personal milestone. This display of ultimate trust from his teammates shifted his own perspective on his value to the squad.

"When I saw people had voted for me, it was like a switch had been flipped, a shift in mindset," he noted. "People could see something in me I didn’t realise was there, and that’s changed me.

"Before being captain, I didn’t know how much I would like it. Having that responsibility has also changed my mentality, helped me. I never thought I’d like being Barcelona captain so much. You feel you matter. It’s an honour. It’s not just wearing the armband.

"I talk less than most captains but I know people are watching. They think: ‘If this guy’s running like an animal, I have to follow.’. If you talk too much and then don’t do what you have to, people aren’t going to listen."

Having firmly sidelined any exit talk, Raphinha is now focused on domestic duties following a brief injury layoff. The attacker suffered a thigh problem while representing Brazil in Australia on September 29, forcing him to miss recent clashes against Getafe and Galatasaray.

Before that setback, he had enjoyed a blistering start to the current campaign. Raphinha has already netted 14 times in just eight matches across all competitions, matching an illustrious club milestone previously held only by Lionel Messi and Ronaldo.

Now, he has completed partial training with the first team. The forward is expected to be fit enough to make the travelling squad for Saturday's La Liga showdown with Real Betis, providing a timely boost for Flick's attacking options as they look to maintain their momentum.