Raphinha takes cheeky dig at FC Barcelona target Nico Williams

After a challenging summer for the Brazilian, FC Barcelona vice captain Raphinha has stated that he is trying his hardest to support the team's younger players and has asked for the Blaugrana supporters' respect. Despite being in outstanding form this season, the winger was frequently linked to leaving.

At the time, there was a lot of conjecture regarding Nico Williams' future. According to several rumors, FC Barcelona planned to sign the winger from Athletic Club before evicting Raphinha. The 27-year-old even left a series of amused comments on an Instagram image featuring a shirt featuring his number 11 from Williams at FC Barcelona.

He said, “The shirt thing was a bit funny, a joke in bad taste, in the end I think people have to respect the players who are in the club. We are giving our best this season and seeing a photo like that doesn’t feel good to you. I feel like it was disrespectful but people do what they want and put the number they want.”

The former Premier League winger added, “But there is no special reason to explain how I started the season. The crucial point was the desire I had and knowing that I had to be able to adapt. to other positions. If I worked 100% before, now I work 200%.”

“I started with a different mentality” : Raphinha

Raphinha's improvement from last season to this one, with the Brazilian enjoying outstanding form, was one of the main topics of conversation. In 10 La Liga games thus far, he has five goals and seven assists, falling only three goals short of his league-highest total.

The Brazil attacker added, “I can say that it is a little mental, a little tactical. The confidence that the coach and the players give me is also very important. The way they help me after three years here, with the veterans and the young people. I started with a different mentality different, adapting to other positions and I’m doing my best.”