Xavi Hernandez claims he orchestrated signing of Barcelona superstar

TL;DR

Xavi Hernandez claims he was instrumental in signing Raphinha for Barcelona during the summer of 2022. He expressed confidence in Raphinha's abilities and played a key role in his development.

Key points

Xavi claims he orchestrated Raphinha's signing at Barcelona.
He expressed confidence in Raphinha's abilities.
Other signings during Xavi's first summer included Lewandowski and Kounde.

Mentioned in this story

Xavi Hernandez

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Xavi Hernandez claims he orchestrated signing of Barcelona superstar

After spending well over a year away from the limelight, former Barcelona player and manager Xavi Hernandez has spoken regularly in the media over the last few months. In March, he claimed that he tried to re-sign Lionel Messi during his tenure at the Spotify Camp Nou, and while that was unsuccessful, he did manage to acquire another of his desires.

In the summer of 2022, his first as Barcelona head coach, the likes of Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde and Andreas Christensen joined the Catalans. Raphinha also signed from Leeds United, and according to Xavi (via MD), he was the one to make that move happen.

“I signed Raphinha. I already wanted him when he was in Portugal. I have given him a lot of confidence. If he didn’t perform, I had to take him off. I have a conversation with him because he was frustrated. I told him to be calm like he was five years old, and now he has exploded. He is a leader.”

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Q&A

How did Xavi Hernandez influence Raphinha's signing at Barcelona?

Xavi Hernandez claims he orchestrated Raphinha's signing by expressing his desire for the player and providing him with confidence during his time at Barcelona.

What other players did Xavi sign during his first summer at Barcelona?

During his first summer as Barcelona head coach in 2022, Xavi signed Robert Lewandowski, Jules Kounde, and Andreas Christensen, in addition to Raphinha.

What did Xavi say about Raphinha's performance at Barcelona?

Xavi mentioned that he had to manage Raphinha's frustrations and encouraged him to remain calm, which he believes contributed to Raphinha's impressive performance and leadership on the field.