Barcelona ace Raphinha admits he is delighted to have committed his future for the next three seasons at the Catalan giants after signing a new contract.
The Brazil attacker was outstanding as Barcelona finished the campaign as La Liga, Copa del Rey and Supercopa Espana winners, and he revealed he surprised himself last season.
“I have followed Barcelona since I was a child, I have always watched this team play. I remember Ronaldinho, Neymar, the history, the titles, the atmosphere, the fans… I have always wanted to be here and write my name in the history of the club,” Raphinha told Sport.
He added, “I already told the president (Joan Laporta) when I signed: I’m very happy. The club has trusted me for the second time. It’s special and, as a player, I appreciate it a lot. When you see that people count on you, it’s something special. I thanked him for his trust. I’ve always wanted to play for Barcelona, being here and renewing my contract makes me happy. I hope I can finish my career here.”
Last season, Raphinha scored 34 goals and made 25 assists, stating: “Honestly, I didn’t expect it. The personal goals I had were below these numbers. Scoring all these goals, making all these assists and helping the team makes me very happy. In the end, history is being made. It was the best season of my life, both in terms of personal and team goals.”
Raphinha also spoke on Hansi Flick’s confidence in him. “The coach called me and told me he was counting on me. That call was very important because it changed my way of thinking. The only person who could stop me was him, and he did.”