Hansi Flick exclusive: Barcelona boss praises ‘unbelievable’ Raphinha ahead of Brest clash in UEFA Champions League

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Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick says Raphinha’s “positive” attitude is the reason behind his success so far this season. The Brazil winger has scored 13 goals in all competitions this season, with seven coming in his last six matches. Barca host Brest in the UEFA Champions League tonight, looking to avoid another shock defeat against a Ligue 1 side following their loss at Monaco in September.

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Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick has credited Raphinha’s positive mindset as the reason for the Brazil international’s stunning form in the past few months.

The winger has scored 13 goals in all competitions so far this campaign, with seven of those coming in the last six matches, including a hat-trick against Bayern Munich. Raphinha has also set up another eight goals.

The 27-year-old former Leeds player is just two goals away from matching his haul from the previous campaign, and he will be hoping to make an impact tonight when Barcelona host Brest in the UEFA Champions League, live on TNT Sports and discovery+.

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"He’s [Raphinha] unbelievable because he’s always 100% very focused and gives us a lot of strength in the defense, but also in the offence," Flick exclusive told TNT Sports Brasil.

"He’s always the player who starts the dynamic to press, but also when we have space, he started in the right moment in these spaces, and it helps us a lot.

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"He also always smiles; this is what I like the most, he’s always positive, and it’s important for him to be positive, this is the big thing – then you have confidence to give 100% on the pitch."

Barcelona have bounced back from a shock defeat at Monaco in their opening Champions League match with victories over Young Boys, Bayern and Red Star Belgrade, which has left them in the top eight – which would be good enough to go straight through to the last 16.

But Flick is wary of the threat posed by Brest, who have been the surprise package so far this season. The French club sit fourth in the standings, unbeaten in their four matches, having beaten Sturm Graz, RB Salzburg and Sparta Prague, while drawing with Bayer Leverkusen.

He will have to do without Lamine Yamal, who is yet to fully recover from an ankle injury he suffered at the start of the month. Barca have failed to win their last two matches without him, but Flick is optimistic there is enough quality in the squad to deputise for the 17-year-old.

"We are a young team and we have to learn. We can learn a lot and, of course, we have three players – Rapha [Raphinha], Lewi [Robert Lewandowski] and Lamine [Yamal] – they have unbelievable quality, so it’s not easy to compare them with the other players," said the German.

"But I think the other players will help us. We are one team, not only three players. We are a whole team, and I’m happy with that. The team have a good mentality and they also have good connections between them, and that’s what I like the most."

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