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‘He made his desire to leave clear’: Raphinha fires fresh shot at Atletico Madrid over Julian Alvarez
Raphinha also weighed in on Alvarez’s situation, suggesting that Atletico should have considered the striker’s wish after he made his desire to leave the club.
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The summer transfer saga saw Julian Alvarez emerge as one of the biggest talking points, with Barcelona pushing hard to sign the Argentina striker. However, Atletico Madrid remained firm and were unwilling to sell him to a direct rival. Barcelona reportedly made a bid of around €100 million for Alvarez, but Atletico rejected the approach, leaving the striker at the club. Barcelona were open about their interest in signing Alvarez, while the forward also spoke publicly about his desire to leave Atletico during the FIFA World Cup. The situation kept the transfer story alive throughout the summer, but despite Barcelona’s efforts and Alvarez’s reported wish to move, Atletico ultimately held their ground and the Argentina international stayed in Madrid. Several Barcelona stars also spoke openly about the possibility of signing Alvarez, particularly with Robert Lewandowski leaving the club.
Raphinha also weighed in on Alvarez’s situation, suggesting that Atletico should have considered the striker’s wishes after he made his desire to leave the club clear. The Barcelona forward said he could understand how difficult it is for a player to perform when he is unhappy with his situation, pointing to his own experience as he explained why he felt Alvarez’s situation could have been handled differently.
Speaking to radio station "RAC1", the Brazilian said: "I don't understand what Atletico did, because if a player is uncomfortable somewhere, and I'm speaking about myself, it's hard for things to go well." He added: “He made his desire to leave clear.”
Raphinha backs Yamal to win Ballon d’Or
Raphinha was equally clear when asked about the Ballon d’Or race, backing his Barcelona teammate Lamine Yamal ahead of Kylian Mbappe. The Brazilian did not hesitate when asked who he felt deserved the prestigious individual award.
"If the award is fair, it should go to Lamine," he said, before adding, “Mbappe? The Ballon d'Or belongs to Lamine.”
Raphinha joined Barcelona in 2022, but the arrival of Hansi Flick as coach two years later marked a turning point both for the club and for Raphinha, who had grown increasingly frustrated under Xavi Hernandez. The Brazilian has scored 86 goals in 184 appearances for Barcelona, with 66 of those coming under Flick, who has guided the Catalan club to the La Liga title in both of his seasons in charge. The Brazilian has also made a strong start to the current season, scoring 11 goals so far.
