Raphinha said he had already decided to leave Barcelona before a call from Hansi Flick led him to hold off on a final decision. He said Flick called him before he took a final decision.
Raphinha on his plan to leave
Raphinha said: "In my head, I knew I was leaving. That was done, that’s the truth."
He also said he was in Brazil when Flick contacted him.
Flick's call and meeting
Raphinha said: "I was in Brazil and Flick called. He said come talk to him before taking a final decision."
Raphinha said he then met Flick in person.
Raphinha said: "I met him and he said he trusted in me, that I was going to be important, that the team would be good for me."
What Flick told him
Raphinha said Flick told him he trusted him, that he would be important, and that the team's play would be good for him.
Raphinha said: "I always have and always will say that he changed my mentality, changed me as a person."
Mindset after the vote
Raphinha also said being voted for changed his mindset.
Raphinha said: "When I saw people had voted for me, it was like a switch had been flipped, a shift in mindset."