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Raphinha and the identity crisis that slows down his emergence with Barcelona
To enhance her future, Raphinha (Porto Alegre, Brazil; 26 years old) delved into her past. And, to pamper a footballer’s self-esteem, there are few things better than goals. A few days ago, the Barcelona winger, along with a friend and collaborator, took refuge on YouTube to see the plays and celebrations of him in the Leeds shirt. “We did it to motivate him and so that he would remember why he is at Barça”, they underline from the Brazilian’s environment. What Raphinha doesn’t know is that he probably watched the same videos with which he captivated Xavi. Last season, with the future of Dembélé in the air, the Barça coaching staff followed the Leeds matches to observe Raphinha, at that time close to the Barça orbit thanks to the relationship between Deco, his representative, and the president of the Catalan entity, Joan Laporta. Finally, Xavi stayed with Dembélé. But Raphinha also joined him. Today, with the Frenchman in the infirmary, the gaucho winger needs to justify why a financially cornered club paid 58 million, plus seven in variables, for him.
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