Raphinha has arguably been Barcelona’s best performing player this season, and his value has never been higher than it is now. After scoring twice in Tuesday’s sensational victory over Benfica, his tally for the campaign now stands at 22 goals and nine assists in all competitions, placing him as one of the best players in Europe in terms of production.
Many people associated with Barcelona have been amazed by Raphinha’s performances this season, and one of them has been his compatriot Rivaldo, who wore the Blaugrana shirt between 1997 and 2002. Speaking in a recent interview (via Relevo), the The 52-year-old Old player praised his Brazilian compatriot, whom he also hopes will make a difference on the international stage.
“Raphinha is building that image of a leader for the Brazilian team. He is already captain of Barcelona, a fundamental player in the team, and he has been playing very well, with personality, which will help him a lot in the national team.
“Having a player with so much confidence is wonderful for Brazil, especially ahead of the World Cup. “If Brazil has him, in addition to Vinicius, who always plays well, with Neymar, who can return in good shape, and with Rodrygo, they will have a very strong attack.”
Rivaldo was only asked about Barcelona’s possible signing of Marcus Rashford, who seem to be losing steam in recent days.
“An arrival like Rashford’s can only be positive because it helps the coach build a better team and gives him more options to choose between those alternatives to put on the field.”
Rashford would likely be Raphinha’s understudy on the left wing, and that would be a dangerous pairing for any club to face. However, it seems difficult for Barcelona to sign the Manchester United player this month, as they will only be able to do so if Ansu Fati agrees to leave; So far, it has not given the green light.