Neither Flick nor Araújo, Raphinha Points to Barça's True Leader: 'It's the Heart...'

Few Could Have Expected the U-turn That Barça Has Taken considering last year's more than disappointing season. The team has gone from being in the ICU to being a protagonist in all competitions. At the top of La Liga, in the Copa del Rey final, and being a serious contender to win the current edition of the Champions League.

The person responsible for this change has been, without a doubt, Hansi Flick, who with his working methods has restored hope to the Catalans. Barça is a perfectly oiled soccer-generating machine where each footballer knows their role perfectly. Flick has managed to enhance almost all the footballers in the squad.

Hansi Flick has recovered several players who seemed to have their future far from Camp Nou, with Raphinha being the clearest example. The Brazilian's performance is extraordinary: he has already scored 27 goals and provided 20 assists in 42 matches. This exceptional level of play places him in a prominent position to win the Ballon d'Or.

Raphinha Shines and Becomes an Authoritative Voice

Soccer takes many turns, and just ask Raphinha, who last summer had many chances to leave Barça. The sports management put all their effort into signing Nico Williams. Finally, the transfer of the Navarrese forward ended up being frustrated, and Barça's '11' decided to stay at Camp Nou.

Against all odds, the season Raphinha is having is on its way to the Ballon d'Or. It only remains for this magnificent individual performance to be joined by collective successes in the form of titles. To achieve them, the Brazilian is fully aware of whom he must rely on: the true leader of Barça.

Raphinha Points to Pedri

In recent statements, Raphinha has highlighted that the great general captain of this Barça is Pedri. He has pointed to the Canarian midfielder as the best and praised his figure without hesitation. For Raphinha, there is no doubt that the most important and decisive player on the team is Pedri.

Specifically, Raphinha has said that "Pedri doesn't have many assists, doesn't have many goals, but for me, he is the most important player, he is the heart of the team". Without a doubt, Barça has a beacon that guides its play, and that is Pedri, who is consolidating as one of the best in the world in his position.

At just 22 years old, the Canarian midfielder has become the epicenter of the culé team. The leader, as seen in his gestures on the field, all of Barça's soccer goes through his boots. His influence on the game is unquestionable: when Pedri shines, the team responds and amazes with its play.