FC Barcelona captain Raphinha was interviewed by Catalan radio station RAC1. In the fourth part of this exclusive interview, Raphinha discussed contract negotiations, his greatest wish to retire at FC Barcelona, and a lucrative offer from Saudi Arabia.

Moderator: You just clarified a widespread misconception – "injuries are always due to aggressive tackling and excessive sprints." In reality, it's not about aggressive tackling and sprinting, correct? This clarification is very valuable.

Raphinha: Yes, for example, two seasons ago I played nearly 70 matches, which was a workload I had never experienced in my career. Last season, the aftereffects of previous overexertion may have manifested in my body. The body has memory, which is why I suffered repeated injuries later. But I've always felt that many setbacks in life are hurdles we must overcome. I maintain that mindset always. Regarding my previous injuries, I was genuinely extremely frustrated because I couldn't show my best form for the Brazilian national team or stay on the pitch to help FC Barcelona during the most critical phase of the championship race. But I feel these moments are predetermined; what will happen, will happen. This season, however, I've taken much better care of myself, far better than last season.

Marta: Everyone has really seen the results. You just mentioned being somewhat concerned about the intense and long travel during this international break. How do you plan to manage that?

Raphinha: Yes, it's truly a very demanding journey.

Moderator: Are you mentally afraid of getting injured? Do you have such concerns?

Raphinha: I'm sorry, I didn't hear that clearly.

Moderator: Are you mentally afraid of getting injured? Marta just asked how you mentally handle these things...

Raphinha: To be honest, concerns will definitely exist, because injuries often creep up quietly, especially when you feel you're in good form. Many times you can sense vaguely before an injury that your leg muscles become slightly stiffer, or a certain area feels a dull pain, and then you suffer a muscle tear. My injury under Xavi was like that; I felt my leg was somewhat heavy, but I forced myself to keep accelerating and sprinting, and as a result, I really did get injured. But with last season's injury, I actually felt very good on the pitch, without any discomfort; my legs felt very light and agile, everything was normal, yet the accident happened anyway. So a certain level of fear will always exist, but...

Moderator: But you still run, sprint, and press with all your effort on the pitch, right?

Raphinha: What I can do is make my body as strong as possible to prevent this. Complete all my tasks well, ensure 100% full recovery every time, and do my best to avoid repeating the same mistakes. But no one can say with certainty whether they'll get injured in the future; in football, anything is possible.

Moderator: Finally, we have one more segment on contract extension. Marta, you ask.

Marta: Okay. Your contract expires in 2028. Is it your current intention to extend it and remain at FC Barcelona?

Raphinha: Yes, of course. Last year when I extended, the contract ran until 2028. At that time, I thought I'd be 30 or 31 and wouldn't know what my physical condition would be like. I thought, "Okay, I'll sign until 2028, and if my physical abilities decline and I can no longer contribute at a high level to the team, I'll begin a new life with immense gratitude toward FC Barcelona. That's fine; I'll still support the team as a loyal fan from the stands." FC Barcelona has become the club I love most in my life; I'm one of thousands of FC Barcelona fans. But looking at the beginning of this season, I feel I can still play at the top level for several more years. Of course, this ultimately depends on the club's will – whether they still need me and whether the coach wants me to stay. But personally, I'd be incredibly happy if I could continue to extend my contract. My greatest wish is to end my career at this club and not have to go anywhere else.

Marta: That's wonderful. I ask because there are always rumors every summer, sometimes about moving to Saudi Arabia, sometimes about various transfer rumors, which always forces people around you to deny them...

Raphinha: These rumors have circulated since the first day I arrived at FC Barcelona. But every time, I've made my statements very clear; I'm a very straightforward person in how I work. When I've publicly stated in an interview that my dream is to fulfill my contract with the club, then unless the coach comes to me personally and says, "Listen, you're not in the team's future plans, thank you for your contribution," I will say, "Okay, I'll go." Otherwise, my wish will never change. I'm definitely not the type of person to cling on; I would never say, "Even if you don't need me, I have a contract, so I'm staying no matter what." If you really don't need me anymore, I'll pack my bags, say thank you, and leave gracefully. I've always been such a straightforward person. So as long as I see I can deliver excellent results and performances to the club on the pitch, I'm absolutely the first one who wants most to fulfill my contract and stay here as long as possible.

Moderator: Have you and the club already begun discussions about a contract extension? Are there substantive negotiations now?

Raphinha: Yes, we've had initial conversations. Although there haven't been official steps yet, both sides have actually begun a dialogue.

Moderator: So Saudi Arabia has never tried to lure you away? They've really never made inquiries?

Raphinha: Yes, they have, repeatedly.

Moderator: Ah, they actually have made inquiries. Okay. So there were contacts, but you simply didn't want to leave.

Raphinha: Yes. For example, this year, around the time of the World Cup, I received a very lucrative offer. This contract would completely change my life and my family's life – for me, my wife, my parents, my in-laws, and my son, it would change the fate of many people. From a financial perspective, it was an astronomical sum, a huge amount I could never have imagined in my life. These numbers were actually very... how should I put it...

Moderator: Very tempting.

Raphinha: Yes, very tempting numbers. But ultimately, the coach's unwavering faith in me at that moment became the key factor that made me stay. Actually, I received similar offers last season and at the beginning of this season as well, but my inner conviction was extremely strong: as long as FC Barcelona still needs me and as long as I know I can still contribute more to this club, my primary wish is to stay here as long as possible until I can no longer play.

Übersetzt von KI.

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