Barcelona coaches concerned about 25-year-old winger’s poor run of form

Raphinha’s acquisition from Leeds United was bemusing for many. The 25-year-old Brazilian had showcased his skills in the English Premier League a season before, but Barcelona knew there’s a lot of work still to be done to make him reach his optimal level.

The winger from Brazil started off well. The early signs, especially during the pre-season were positive, leading to the suggestion that the €48 million Barcelona had paid Leeds United for his signing would be justified this season.

Once it was time for the real test after the pre-season friendlies, Raphinha impressed one and all with his extreme energy and intensity in training. The 25-year-old was applauded by his coaches after returning with positive field data on the GPS.

Two months on, however, and despite getting regular first-team minutes, Raphinha has returned with a solitary goal and a mere two assists. And now, the tacticians are starting to worry mostly because he got more than enough time to return with better figures.

More than being worried about the lack of figures, the management is rather disappointed, especially after he missed an open goal against Valencia, a game where he went on to assist the winner by Robert Lewandowski.

According to Diario AS, the confusion regarding Raphinha is that while he is unbeatable in training, he is failing to translate all of it during the official games. This has not only resulted in him losing his place but has also forced Xavi to alter his style of play.

Whenever Raphinha and Ousmane Dembele are lined together, Barcelona struggle to control the tempo as the duo loses possession more times than they retrieve it. So Xavi has decided to sacrifice a winger altogether in place of a fourth midfielder.

In this way, the team can play with a better balance and can have more control and stability. 

For now, despite the evident hardships, there is no doubt that Barcelona has full trust in Raphinha, as they know sooner or later, the winger would reach his full potential under Xavi.

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