From the bench, now without strength, Raphinha was focused on by the cameras. He had been the protagonist of a classic that resulted in Hansi Flick’s first title at Barcelona, a trophy that came like a pamper for a Barça squad that arrived in Arabia touched by the noise of the Olmo case. In reality, he had been the star of the week. A common tone for the Brazilian during the season: leader on the field, author of two of Barcelona’s five goals against Madrid, but also in the locker room. Key piece along with Araujo to keep the group together, public support for Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor in the face of the absurdity of their registrations.
While Hansi Flick was dealing with the press conference prior to the Spanish Super Cup final with some discomfort, he received a message on his digital watch: “Mister, Raphinha and Araujo want to talk to you.” Television cameras captured the moment, and social media quickly made it viral. “It was nothing strange, just an organizational issue,” they explained from the Barcelona delegation in Jeddah, trying to drive away speculation. After the meeting between the two captains and the German coach, the Barça entity decided to reschedule their return trip to the Catalan capital. It happened then that, instead of training on Monday morning in Arabia and then taking the flight to Spain, the Barça expedition left Jeddah immediately after beating Madrid.
Even though captain Ter Stegen, injured due to a patellar tendon problem, traveled to Arabia – and ended up raising the cup in a gesture that honors the Uruguayan – the weight of the team’s leadership falls on Raphinha and Araujo. The Brazilian has a natural ancestry: elected captain by his teammates just three years after arriving at the club, above the great figure of the locker room, Lewandowski. Araujo, captain since 2013, has, however, a more self-imposed leadership, driven by his desire to become a typical leader. charrúa and el Camp Nou.
“Dani and Pau were having a very bad time. It was a difficult situation for the group,” explained a source close to the Barcelona locker room. One of the Barça players added with concern: “If they do this to Dani, who arrived as the star signing of the summer, what could they do to the rest of us?” The unrest in the locker room was not silenced: neither Raphinha nor Ronald Araújo hesitated to raise their voices. “It is a situation of very bad taste for our colleagues,” the Uruguayan complained in Barbastro. In Arabia, it was Raphinha who spoke: “If I were in another club, maybe I would think about whether coming to Barça is the best.”
The Barça group thanked Raphinha and Araujo for their commitment. Above all, that of Raphinha, after Araujo, motivated by his agent, began to let himself be loved by Juventus. “He doesn’t feel valued,” they say from those around him. “We have made him two renewal offers, for us he is an important player,” Barça responds, saying they do not plan to let him go for less than 70 million. It happened, however, that when the rumor about his possible departure began to gain strength in the offices, Araujo had to take the field in Arabia. Recently recovered from his muscle injury, his dance partner was not the easiest to defend: an inspired Mbappé. He complied.
The difficult part had already been done by his friend Raphinha. As strong in attack as in defense, a sacrifice that left him without legs, replaced by Ferran Torres in the 79th minute. No one stole the MVP of the game from him, nor the affection of the locker room.