Recently, "Marca" talked about Barcelona's difficulties this season. The team lost the top spot in La Liga and also performed poorly in the Champions League. They said that Rafinha's absence was one of the main reasons.
In recent weeks, the team's performance has declined significantly. One of the reasons is the shaky defense, especially against Club Brugge where they conceded three goals. This game exposed many mistakes of the defensive line, especially in preventing offsides which was not as good as last season.
However, another overlooked factor is the absence of Raphinha. Although people often talk about the importance of Yamal and Pedri to the team, the data shows that the Brazilian is the key figure in the team. In the seven games in which Flick was able to use Raphinha, Barcelona won six, drew one, and scored 21 goals and conceded 5 goals.
In the eight games that Raphinha missed due to injury, the team only won four games, drew one game, and lost three games, scoring 19 goals and conceding 15 goals. It is worth noting that five of the games with Raphinha have been away from home, while five of the games without him have been at home.
These data clearly show that Barcelona desperately needs Rafinha. Before his injury, he had scored three goals and provided two assists. His presence in the attack is not only because of his ability to create chances, but also because his presence distracts the opponent and allows Yamal to get more space.
Raphinha's contribution goes far beyond goals and assists. He is always the first to apply high pressure in the frontcourt, and his defensive ability far exceeds that of Lewandowski, Yamal or Rashford. In addition, his fighting spirit and fighting spirit also injected vitality into the team. Without him, Barcelona would be insufficient in many aspects.
Therefore, Flick is eager for him to return as soon as possible, and his plan is to have him return to the team after the national team match day. He did not participate in Friday's open practice to avoid the risk of reinjury.
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