Flick and Raphinha Break Silence on Shocking Barcelona Locker Room Scenes
Hansi Flick shed light on a widely-circulated conversation between himself and Raphinha from Saturday's match, disclosing that the Brazilian forward was promising him that Barcelona would perform "significantly better" in their future fixtures.
The Catalan club defeated Alavés 3–1 at Camp Nou to wrap up their November schedule, temporarily claiming the top spot in La Liga with 34 points accumulated over 14 games. This victory provided crucial relief for Barcelona following their disappointing midweek 3–0 loss to Chelsea in Champions League action.
Despite securing all three points over the weekend, Flick's squad appeared to lack the brilliance that characterized their title-winning campaign from the previous season, which led Raphinha to seek a private conversation with the German tactician after the match concluded.
Footage and photographs surfaced showing the pair in an intense discussion on the sideline, with Flick appearing to shake his head before sitting quietly on the bench well after Raphinha had departed.
"Following the final whistle, Raphinha conveyed the same message as before: 'We're going to get better. We'll perform much stronger in our upcoming fixtures,'" Flick disclosed.
Barcelona fell behind within the opening minute against Alavés, requiring another dramatic turnaround to secure three valuable La Liga points. A leveling goal from Lamine Yamal and two strikes from Dani Olmo propelled the Catalans to triumph, though questions about the Spanish champions' defensive stability persist.
Raphinha: Barcelona Must 'Improve a Lot'
Raphinha was quick to recognize Barcelona's initial struggles in his post-match comments, supporting his coach who stated his players lack "the command or the energy of last season."
"The coach believed we could deliver much more during the match, and we also recognize we can perform significantly better. His impression is that the squad isn't operating at peak level, and I share that view," Raphinha commented.
"We need to enhance our performance considerably, but nonetheless, I believe the most crucial aspect today was securing the victory. We have opportunities to address our mistakes, and I'm confident we'll return to our peak form. We'll triumph by playing excellently, but if there are matches where our performance suffers, it doesn't matter; what counts is claiming the win."
The Catalans will aim to "return to their peak form" as quickly as possible, with Atlético Madrid visiting Camp Nou this Tuesday. Four days following that encounter, Barcelona will travel to Sevilla to face a formidable Real Betis squad.