"If it wasn't for him, I wouldn't be at Barça": Raphinha on former manager
The Brazilian praised the man who teached him most along his career
One of the first big blows that FC Barcelona landed against Chelsea FC in this transfer market was the signing of the Brazilian Raphinha, a skillful winger who was little known in Spain, but who in burst surprisingly in the scene in England. At first it seemed that Chelsea would keep him, but a convinced Barcelona moved quickly to present the necessary funds, and that was all it took, given the Brazilian's burning desire to wear the Blaugrana shirt.
Raphinha with Barcelona
Having Barça legend Deco as his agent, Raphinha immediately showed his affection for Barcelona's shirt and after a couple of promising games, he declared without hesitation: "If it wasn't for Bielsa, I wouldn't be at Barça". The Argentine coach was decisive in Raphinha's football progression at Leeds, where he played the last couple of seasons
"Marcelo Bielsa is a coach who helped me a lot from the first moment I arrived at Leeds United. He always demands more, always demands maximum performance. He helped me reach the national team and helped me reach Barça", Raphinha told Spanish newspaper Mundo Deportivo. The Argentine coach, who promoted Leeds United to the Premier League after 16 years, has left his influence on several players besides the Brazilian.
"If it weren't for his teachings, I probably wouldn't be here at Barcelona. In addition to having a style of play that is always good on the ball, he seeks maximum performance in training and in games. He was a person important for me and for my career, I will always carry his teachings with me", explained Raphinha. Bielsa left Leeds in the middle of last season, 2021-22, due to poor results, but he left a marked influence on his players, and even the coach who replaced him, Jesse Marsch, was satisfied with his work.
Raphinha with Marcelo Bielsa at Leeds
When asked about the differences between Bielsa and his new coach Xavi, and Raphinha replied: "They are different, Marcelo has a unique way of working. It's the 'Marcelo Bielsa style', let's call it that. Each coach is different. person has a way of leading his life, each player and each coach is different in their work". On his way of playing, he said: "I have a winger style that makes me like speed and dribbling. But I'm a striker and I like to score goals and give assists. Participate in goals, participate in attacking plays. As a good Brazilian, I enjoy dribbling, but I always look for the goal".
Continue reading: "Focus on your accounts": Laporta fires back at critics and hints at Messi
Esta nota habla de:
