New Barcelona signing Raphinha has paid tribute to former Leeds boss Marcelo Bielsa for turning him into a La Liga superstar.
The Brazil international, 25, completed a £55million transfer from Leeds to Barcelona earlier this month following two superb seasons. He scored 17 Premier League goals during his two-year spell in West Yorkshire, helping Leeds stay up on the final day last term.
Raphinha was a relatively unknown winger when he joined Leeds in October 2020, previously representing Portuguese sides Vitoria Guimaraes and Sporting Lisbon, as well as French outfit Rennes. Leeds paid just £17million to bring him to the Premier League.
Raphinha's game improved significantly after he joined Bielsa's side. He continued to perform under the Argentine until he was sacked in February due to Leeds' worrying position. American coach Jesse Marsch was hired as Bielsa's replacement.
"He is a coach who helped me a lot from the first moment I arrived at Leeds," Raphinha told Mundo Deportivo. "He always demands more, he always demands the best performance from you.
"He helped me get into the national team and he helped me get to Barca. If it wasn’t for his guidance I probably wouldn’t be here. He was an important person for me and for my career."
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Bielsa is widely regarded as one of the greatest coaches of his generation after influencing the likes of Pep Guardiola and Mauricio Pochettino, despite winning just a handful of trophies during his career. He's been out of work since being dismissed by Leeds.
Raphinha also compared Barcelona manager Xavi with Bielsa. Xavi was appointed to his current role last November following a two-and-a-half-year spell in charge of Al Saad, winning seven trophies during his time in the Middle East - including the Qatari league title.
Xavi has made a tremendous start to his Barcelona career. They were ninth in La Liga when he was appointed but finished second last term. His most impressive result was a 4-0 win against eventual La Liga and Champions League winners Real Madrid at the Bernabeu.
"Marcelo has a unique way of working," adds Raphinha. "It’s the 'Marcelo Bielsa style', let’s call it that. Every coach is different. Just as each person has a way of leading their life, each player and each coach is different in their work."
Several former Leeds players have highlighted the influence Bielsa has had on their careers, including Kalvin Phillips. The Englishman was a mid-table Championship player when Bielsa arrived at Leeds four years ago. Today, he represents England and Manchester City.
"Than you Marcelo for everything you have done for me," tweeted Phillips after Bielsa left Leeds. "You saw in me what I didn't even seen in myself. You helped me grow as a player but most importantly as a person. Wishing you all the best in your next chapter."
