'In my head, I knew I was leaving': Raphinha reveals how Hansi Flick convinced him to stay at Barcelona

Raphinha opens up on near-exit before Flick's decisive intervention

Barcelona winger Raphinha has revealed just how close he was to leaving the club in 2024 — and how a conversation with coach Hansi Flick changed the course of his career. Speaking to The Guardian, the Brazil international admitted that, in his own words, the decision to move on was already made in his head before the German coach intervened.

“In my head, I knew I was leaving. That was [mentally] done, that’s the truth,” Raphinha said. The timing was delicate: Barcelona were chasing Athletic Club's Nico Williams as their priority target for the wing, and the Catalans ultimately missed out on the Athletic Club forward.

One phone call, one meeting, a changed mind

Raphinha described how Flick reached out at the critical moment. “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.”

The impact of those words was immediate. “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.”

From nearly leaving to captaining the club

Since then, Raphinha has become a pivotal figure for Barcelona. Flick made the Brazilian his skipper, though the players had already voted him into the leadership group — something that clearly means a great deal to him.

“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,” he added.

He also offered a glimpse into his leadership style: “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.”

Future secured until 2030

Any lingering doubt about Raphinha's future at Barcelona has now been removed. The winger has agreed a new contract with the club that will run until 2030, seemingly set to spend the rest of his career at Camp Nou after a near-miss that ended up defining his time in Catalonia.