Barcelona forward Raphinha spoke about his decision to turn down Chelsea in favor of signing for the Catalan giants ahead of Tuesday’s match between the two sides in the Champions League.
The Brazilian signed for Barca after leaving Leeds but was also wanted by the Blues. Raphinha said he knew about their interest but only ever had one destination in mind.
“Since my last match with Leeds, I knew about the possibility of wearing the Barça shirt and I knew about Chelsea’s interest,” he told reporters.
“But I had a dream I had to fulfill and I gave 100% to be able to wear the Barça shirt. I turned a blind eye to other teams that wanted to sign me. I had a dream and I did everything possible to play for Barça.”
Raphinha has been a huge hit at Barcelona and is looking forward to returning to action after a spell on the sidelines.
“I’ve missed the team much more than they’ve missed me. I’m someone who strives to give my best on the pitch, whether offensively or defensively; it’s just part of who I am. Often I’m the team’s biggest critic, the one who’s always demanding too much from the guys, but that’s just who I am,” he added.
“I believe the players on the pitch are there because they have the skill and quality to be there, and I try to help everyone. And I have to be the first to do that: if I’m at my best, I can demand more from the team. That’s why I always try to give my absolute best.”
