It might have taken some time, but Raphinha appears to finally be getting his bearings at Barcelona after his big summer move from Leeds United.
The Brazilian forward was one of the reinforcements brought in by the La Liga side as they triggered all kinds of levers to allow for some spending, having followed him for quite some time.
It took a lot of work, but Barcelona, and the player, finally convinced Leeds to accept the offer so that he could fulfil his dream of featuring for the Catalonia giants.
However, his first few months there didn’t go to plan, as he was often played out of position and failed to have the desired impact, frustrated by the return to form of Ousmane Dembélé.
Many articles in the local press were written criticising Raphinha, who wasn’t able to show off the skills that made him a star at Leeds, but his latest performance suggests this could now all be behind him.
He was voted the game’s MVP, and managed to show that he was a ‘difference making player’, finally justifying why Barcelona paid €58m + €9m in bonuses to get him from Leeds.
Xavi had always defended him publicly, and insisted he was a great team player, pointing his ‘work, intensity and decisive goals’ in the past, but the media were never going to be as patient as the manager.
Still, he is starting to show just why Leeds got all that money for him, and Sport believe he has ‘vindicated himself’ and also ‘earned more credit with the fans’, which is always important at a team like Barcelona.
