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At Barcelona, the passage of time generally tends to devalue the excitement around new arrivals, who once captivated fans with their promise and potential.
After the honeymoon period of the opening few months wears off, expectations seem to unjustly escalate to an unreasonable extent.
The sentiment is perhaps best illustrated in the case of Raphinha. As Cules continue to open up to the possibility of bidding him goodbye, despite initially welcoming him with open arms, the shimmer that once adorned the Brazilian winger has similarly grown faint.
Barcelona’s fickle financial state and need to muster up funds only add to the growing detachment with Raphinha, who already has significant interest from Saudi Arabia.
While there may be some truth to the fact that Raphinha’s sale would indirectly aid Barcelona economically, there are several aspects to his gameplay that warrant more faith.
Indeed, diving deeper into the 27-year-old’s multifaceted skillset, there is enough reason to believe fans have often overlooked what Raphinha brings to the table.
Creating threat amidst the chaos
Raphinha amassed 10 goals and 12 assists in his debut season with the Catalans, finishing the year with the second-highest G/A on the squad, trailing only Robert Lewandowski.
While during the current campaign his numbers have taken a slight nosedive, with a total of 15 goal contributions (5 goals, 10 assists), the underlying data suggests his productivity is largely swept under the rug.
Indeed, in La Liga this season, Raphinha is registering more than two and a half key passes per 90 (2.90), placing him higher than the likes of Bukayo Saka (2.71) and Khvicha Kvaratskhelia (2.22), who are two of Europe’s most prized creative wingers.
(Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images)
In fact, when factoring in the metrics of key passes and shot-creating actions per 90, Raphinha is only bested by Jack Grealish and Ousmane Dembele.
Furthermore, only Michael Olise surpasses Raphinha in the frequency…
Source link : https://barcauniversal.com/raphinha-barcelonas-underappreciated-creative-powerhouse/
Author : Shahraiz Sajjad
Publish date : 2024-03-22 18:17:00
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