Unexpectedly, Raphinha said Xavi didn't trust him

Raphinha is now one of Barcelona's leading stars and, dare we say, a contender for the Ballon d'Or. But last year, things were very different: under Xavi's management, he played just 17 matches. The Brazilian has responded to this period with some sharp remarks.

Details: Raphinha stated outright that he felt Xavi, Hansi Flick's predecessor, didn’t trust him, as he was only given playing time when his competitors for the position were unavailable.

• See also: Raphinha nearly played for Italy at Euro 2020! Here’s what stopped him

Quote: “I felt that the coach (Xavi) and his staff didn’t trust me. When there was no one else available, they’d let me play the full 90 minutes. I gave my all and made a difference in some matches, but whenever they had the chance to put someone else in my place, the coach did it without hesitation.

Sometimes I felt I was doing everything right, but he would still take me off after 60 minutes. I tried to fix the situation, had several conversations with Xavi, but realized nothing changed. He had his own view of things,” Raphinha told Isabela Palhari in an interview.