Whatever Hansi Flick has done to Raphinha it’s certainly working, after the Brazilian produced a captain’s display at Villarreal.
The purposeful player that we see before us today is a far cry from the sulking and often laissez-faire winger of yore.
Evidently the option to be able to take up a more central role suits the Brazilian far better than being stationed wide at all times, and he’s been so much more influential there.
His brace against the Yellow Submarine brought his tally for 2024/25 to five goals and three assists in six La Liga games.