Former Leeds United star Raphinha has dedicated much of his recent success down to Marcelo Bielsa. Raphinha spent much of his time at Elland Road under the stewardship of Bielsa – a period where his reputation both at club and international level grew significantly.
His form in his debut campaign, as well as the first half of his second season, saw him earn a starting spot in Brazil’s national team, which he is yet to relinquish since. The 25-year-old then earned a move to Barcelona earlier this month and is already beginning to make his mark in pre-season.
He netted on his debut against Inter Miami, before scoring a stunning winner in the El Clasico against Real Madrid a few days later. Speaking in an interview with Mundo Deportivo, Raphinha claimed that without Bielsa’s guidance there is a chance he may not have been where he is today and insists he will ‘always carry’ the Argentine with him.
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He said: “He’s a coach who helped me a lot from the first moment I arrived at Leeds. He always demands more, always demands maximum performance.
“He helped me get to the national team and helped me get to Barça. If it wasn’t for his teachings, as a group or individually, I probably wouldn’t be here.
“In addition to having a style of play that is always respectful of the ball, he seeks maximum performance in training and in games, he was an important person for me and for my career, I will always carry him with me.
“They [Bielsa and Xavi] are different, Marcelo has a unique way of working. It’s the ‘Marcelo Bielsa style’, let’s call it that. Every coach is different. Just as each person has a way of leading his life, each player and each coach is different in their work.”
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