Raphinha: The making of Xavi's own difference-maker?

Raphinha is something of a controversial figure among the Barcelona faithful. He is an undoubtedly talented player but also a player whose ceiling is arguably significantly lower than that of, say, Ousmane Dembele. One is a player while the other is the player, in spite of his inconsistent nature. But if we’ve learned one thing in the past few weeks, it’s that in the absence of the man for Barcelona, Raphinha is someone who could turn into that guy himself.

With the aforementioned Dembele sidelined by another injury and the Catalans’ creative juices all but drained up without the talisman that is Pedri, someone needed to step up in attack. And it wasn’t Robert Lewandowski. It wasn’t Ferran Torres. It wasn’t Ansu Fati. And it wasn’t Gavi, despite his valiant ‘planking’ efforts, heading a very much grounded ball just to solidify his commitment and devotion to Xavi’s cause.

It was Raphinha.

It was Raphinha last week against Valencia and it was Raphinha tonight against Athletic Club. In fact, it was Raphinha nine times already this season, in addition to his further nine assists. That’s 18 goal contribution from someone who’s considered to be necessary collateral come summertime and the opening of the transfer market.

This sport is a psychological game as much as it is a physical one: ‘Football is played with the head. Your feet are just the tools,’ said Andrea Pirlo famously. And this is extremely relevant not just for Raphinha but for the entirety of this Barcelona squad that lives and dies by its confidence levels. Torres may be the epitome of that sentiment but the same goes for his Brazilian counterpart on the opposite side of the pitch.

When he’s in his element, free of the constraints of pressure, expectations, price tags and millions of gazing eyes, Raphinha looks far more like the player than a player. He’s highly technical with just the creative spark a team devoid of one needs in situations like this exact one they’re facing right now. He’s also physical enough, still in his prime years, acts both as an outlet and a link-up option and has consistently excellent ball-striking, as evidenced by those goals from afar and excellent inswinging deliveries. When you factor in his elite - and sometimes downright undefendable - parallel movement that obliterates the offside line, you get a player that completes most top European teams. Sorry, you get THE player that does that. So what’s the issue? Well, Dembele. And money. And expectations. And optimisation. Quite a lot of things, actually.

Dembele’s return will inevitably create a very intriguing dynamic that will surely give Xavi a headache. Best case scenario, Barcelona end up with two top-tier right-wingers fighting for their spot, relentlessly motivated to outdo one another. Worst case scenario, however, sees one of them fade into the background, lost in the sea of unfulfilled dreams and potential, inevitably leading to distrust, dissatisfaction and ultimately, and very likely, an exit.

This is also where Xavi the manager, not just Xavi the coach, has to step in. His rival tonight was ultimately beaten by the same demon when he was in the Camp Nou hot seat back in the day - not being able to manage the superstars, the egos and the upper hierarchy breathing down his neck. Raphinha doesn’t seem like a guy whose ego may stand in the way of success but he is surely a guy who will want to play as much as humanly possible. Mostly every footballer does.

So how does Xavi not only turn Raphinha into the guy for Barcelona but also retain his best self while balancing out his game time with someone whose ceiling may be even higher than his own? It’s an unforgiving task. At the end of the day, however, the Barcelona gig is also an unforgiving task. For players and coaches alike.

But whatever happens next, seeing Raphinha not only embrace the role of a difference maker but also thrive in it is exactly what the squad has been missing in weeks past. When the Pedris of the team aren’t there and you can’t rely on Lewandowskis, Ferrans or Fatis, the thought that there’s a Raphinha who will comfortably and consistently put the ball where it needs to go is a comforting one for everyone not named Dembele.

Whether that ends up being a good or a bad thing in the long run, only time will tell. Until then, however, let’s escort Raphinha, just a guy, off the stage and welcome Raphinha, the guy, on it.

Hopefully, he’s here to stay.