Despite Barcelona’s Unbeaten Run in 2025, Hans-Dieter Flick Faces Concerns Over Raphinha’s Form
Barcelona may be enjoying an impressive stretch of form—unbeaten in 2025 and producing strong performances—but head coach Hans-Dieter Flick has growing concerns regarding the physical and mental condition of some of his key players. Among those, Pedri González, Lamine Yamal, and Jules Koundé have logged heavy minutes, raising concerns over fatigue. However, the most pressing issue appears to be the dip in form of Brazilian winger Raphinha Dias.
According to El Nacional, Raphinha has seen a notable drop in performance levels in recent weeks. Once seen as a standout and even a Ballon d’Or contender earlier in the season, his recent displays have fallen short of expectations. He missed matches against Girona and Osasuna due to what he described as fatigue and returned against Atlético Madrid but struggled to make an impact. Against Betis, he was benched and only came on as a substitute.
While club officials like Joan Laporta and Deco are downplaying the situation, viewing it as a temporary slump, Flick is more cautious. He has not been reassured by Raphinha’s recent training efforts or match contributions, prompting him to schedule a lengthy one-on-one meeting with the player to understand the root of the issue. The two reportedly spoke for over two hours, with Flick seeking to uncover whether off-field factors might be influencing the winger’s poor form.
With a critical phase of the season ahead, Flick is hoping Raphinha can quickly regain his sharpness and return to being the attacking force Barcelona needs to meet its goals.
