Raphinha questions Atletico Madrid’s handling of Julian Alvarez

Barcelona captain Raphinha says he does not understand Atletico Madrid’s stance on Julian Alvarez, after the Argentina striker was linked with a move away from the club.

Speaking to RAC1, the Brazil international said Alvarez had made his feelings clear and suggested it would be difficult for any player to perform at their best while unhappy with their situation.

“I don’t understand what Atletico did, because if a player is unhappy somewhere, and I’m speaking about myself, it is difficult for things to go well,” Raphinha said. “He made his desire to leave clear.”

Raphinha’s comments come after an impressive start to the season with Barcelona. He has scored nine goals in La Liga and two in the Champions League, but said he was not surprised by his form because he expected to begin strongly after the work he had put in over the previous period.

The 28-year-old has also adapted to a different role under manager Hansi Flick, regularly operating as a central striker. Raphinha said playing as a number nine so consistently was a new experience for him, but that he had quickly adjusted to the German coach’s demands.

He added that he would be willing to play in any position that benefited the team.

Raphinha also discussed his early-season figures, which have surpassed Lionel Messi’s numbers over the same period. He described that comparison as “crazy”, while insisting Messi remains “the best player in history”.

The Barcelona captain also said he is currently at the “peak of his career”.

Raphinha credited Flick with playing a major part in changing his situation at Barcelona. He said the manager had contributed significantly to his transformation and to the improvement in his performances since last season.

The Brazilian then gave his backing to team-mate Lamine Yamal in the Ballon d’Or race. In Raphinha’s view, Yamal’s statistics, trophies and performances for Barcelona and Spain make him the deserving winner of the award.

“If the award is fair, it should go to Lamine,” he said. “Mbappe? The Ballon d’Or belongs to Lamine.”

Raphinha believes Barcelona have enough quality to challenge for honours this season. He said winning both the Champions League and La Liga would be “the best thing” he could achieve with the club, provided the team maintains its current level of performance.