It is not always easy to leave your comfort zone and move to a club as big as Barcelona. However, some players aspire for great things and thus decide to make that leap. It is only after making that leap that the true mettle of a player can be determined at a side such as Barcelona.
There are many other European giants in the world of football as well besides just La Blaugrana. However, despite their financial limitations, Barcelona continues to be among the most attractive destinations in the sport.
For one player in particular, the choice of joining Barcelona came at the expense of another European juggernaut. As highlighted by SPORT, Brazilian winger Raphinha recently shared some private information during a casual interview.
The forward, formerly from Leeds United, spoke about the fact that he was previously very close to joining Manchester United in the Premier League. However, he ultimately left behind that opportunity and instead chose to join Barça instead.
He also spoke about what his ideal potential UEFA Champions League final would be this season, and his response was quite clear: “Barcelona and Manchester City.”
Moreover, he even highlighted former Barcelona manager and current Manchester City head coach Pep Guardiola’s team as arguably his toughest opponents yet at the Etihad Stadium.
While his dream remains to win the Champions League with Barcelona, his current focus must remain elsewhere. For the 27-year-old, the primary objective right now is to recover as soon as possible. Having been injured against CA Osasuna, the Brazilian forward hopes to return in time for the clash against Napoli.
However, there is still no guarantee about Raphinha’s future either. Given the uncertainty around him, it seems that his performances this season could be a very telling sign of just where his future lies exactly.