Hansi Flick once again defended Raphinha's standing within FC Barcelona, stressing the Brazilian's influence on the team's collective performance during a pre-match press conference before the Girona–Barça game at Montilivi (Monday, 21:00). When asked about Raphinha's impact, Flick stated that, in his view, Raphinha was the best player last season and the best in the world.
Flick explained that Raphinha's presence is noticeable both in training and in matches: his involvement raises the group's intensity and improves the team's dynamics. The coach emphasized that Raphinha is one of the captains and that the squad misses him when he is not available.
Departing from the usual collective framing of victories and setbacks, Flick singled out the player's individual contribution. He also confirmed that, after a few days off, Raphinha should be ready to rejoin the squad for the trip to Girona.
Earlier, in December, Flick had criticized FIFA for leaving Raphinha out of its team of the year, calling the omission a joke. Raphinha himself had voiced frustration months earlier at being left out of FIFPro's best XI, despite contributing 34 goals and 26 assists across all competitions in the previous campaign and being named LaLiga MVP for 2024–25. Flick has repeatedly highlighted Raphinha as the player with the greatest influence on the team last season, and in February he again emphasized the forward's central role at Barça.
