Raphinha has openly criticized Xavi Hernandez's management during his time at Barcelona, claiming a lack of confidence from the coaching staff pushed him to the brink of leaving. He highlighted that despite performing well in matches, he was frequently benched without explanation. A pivotal phone call from current coach Hansi Flick convinced him to stay, as he began to thrive under Flick's management, showing marked statistical improvements in his performance this season, directly contributing to 56 goals in 52 appearances.
"I felt like [Xavi's] coaching staff didn't have any confidence in me. When there was no other [player], I was there and I played 90 minutes."
"Sometimes, I was doing everything for 60 minutes and they would take me off... I had just created a really good chance. I felt good and was playing well."
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