In-form captain Raphinha wants to finish career at Barcelona

Raphinha netted a hat-trick in Wednesday’s 7-2 win over Racing Santander as Barcelona maintained its perfect record this term. | Photo Credit: REUTERS

Barcelona captain Raphinha said on Friday he hopes to extend his contract at the club and end his playing career there after an explosive start to the season in front of goal.

The Brazil winger has been deployed up front following the departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres, and has quickly adapted to the role, scoring 11 goals in seven matches.

“Yes, I intend to extend my contract. When I extended it the first time, I signed until 2028 on the assumption that I would be then 30 or 31 years old, and I didn’t know how things would turn out,” Raphinha told RAC1 radio.

“Given the way I’ve started the season, I think I can keep going for a few more years and I would be very happy to extend my contract and, hopefully, finish my career here without having to go elsewhere,” the 29-year-old added.

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Raphinha was appointed captain at the start of the season after Ronald Araujo and Marc-Andre ter Stegen left the club and Frenkie de Jong was sidelined by a knee injury.

The former Leeds United forward joined Barcelona in 2022, but Flick’s arrival as coach two years later proved a turning point for both the team and Raphinha, who had become increasingly frustrated under Xavi Hernandez.

He has now scored 86 goals in 184 appearances for Barcelona, 66 of them under Flick, who has led the Catalans to La Liga titles in each of his two seasons.

Raphinha netted a hat-trick in Wednesday’s 7-2 win over Racing Santander as Barcelona maintained its perfect record this term, having won all seven matches, including a 5-1 thrashing of Feyenoord in its Champions League opener.

Barcelona sits three points clear of Real Madrid and Real Betis ahead of Saturday’s trip to fifth-placed Sevilla.