Raphinha excelled at Leeds United, benefitting the club and getting the Brazilian the career step he wanted.
During his two-season-long stay, he scored 17 times and racked up 12 assists and that played a key role in attracting the attention of Barcelona, where he has become one of the best players in the world.
The Brazilian’s former Leeds United teammate Rodrigo Moreno has now provided some insight into the winger’s time at Elland Road, making clear how impressive he was to teammates.
Moreno spoke to El Mundo Nacional and hailed Raphinha’s physical ability that stood out in England.
“It was a surprise because Brazilians always have that offensive label, but he was different. It was clear from day one, with a superb physique, committed in defence, and he never gave up.”
The former Valencia player also stated that the wide player played a key role in making sure that Leeds United avoided relegation and that showed his leadership skills.
“It was crazy. We were saved against Brighton and we were depending on other results that happened. He, who was a natural leader, took a weight off his shoulders and matured a lot that season.”
Moreno believes that Raphinha was a perfect fit for Marcelo Bielsa’s set-up due to his ability to play at a high intensity regularly.
“He’s one of the greatest prodigies I’ve ever played with. He’s capable of repeating high-intensity actions in a match time and time again. Given what Bielsa demanded, he adapted to the Premier League in an instant.”
Leeds United will be proud of how they helped Raphinha become the force that he is and that they helped him display his qualities at the highest level in England.
The 28-year-old had impressed pretty much everywhere he went – including Vitoria Guimaraes, Rennes and Sporting, but it was at Elland Road that his skillset actually came to light because of what he did in the Premier League.
Moreno continued: “At Leeds, he made the difference. Bielsa was demanding, and he adapted instantly.”
