Raphinha has arguably been Barcelona's best performing player this season, and his stock has never been as high as it is now. After scoring twice in Tuesday's sensational comeback win over Benfica, his tally for the season now stands at 22 goals and nine assists in all competitions, making him one of the best players in Europe in terms of output.
Many people associated with Barcelona have been in awe of Raphinha's performances this season, and one of those is his compatriot Rivaldo, who wore the Blaugrana jersey between 1997 and 2002. In a recent interview (via Relevo), the 52-year-old spoke highly of his compatriot, who he also expects to make a difference on the international stage.
“Raphinha is building that image of a leader for the Brazilian national team. He is already the captain at Barcelona, a crucial player in the team, and he plays very well, with a personality, which will help him a lot in the national team.
“Having a player with so much confidence is great for Brazil, especially in the run-up to the World Cup. If Brazil have him, as well as Vinicius, who always performs well, with Neymar, who can return in good form, and with Rodrygo, they will have a very strong attack.”
Rivaldo was only asked about Barcelona's impending takeover of Marcus Rashford, who appears to be losing traction in recent days.
“An arrival like Rashford 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 pitch.”
Rashford would likely fill in for Raphinha on the left wing, and that would be a dangerous combination for any club. However, it seems difficult for Barcelona to sign the Manchester United player this month as they can only do so if Ansu Fati agrees to leave – so far he has not given the green light.
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