Barcelona star Raphinha has welcomed the extra competition provided by Marcus Rahsford’s transfer, admitting he needs to be “prepared” to fight for his place in the team.
Raphinha enjoyed an astonishing season with Barça and his attacking contributions were crucial to their domestic treble. He finished the campaign with 34 goals and 22 assists in just 57 appearances in all competitions.
The Brazilian faces sterner competition for his starting berth moving forward after Barça’s loan signing of Rashford from Manchester United this summer, but the 28-year-old believes that such squad depth is necessary to compete for the biggest prizes.
“When you play with this jersey, with this club, you need to be prepared for all the competition that there is,” Raphinha told SPORT. “In my opinion, the more competition we have, the better. It means that one helps the other progress and that is the most important thing if we want to win titles.”
Raphinha is almost certain to be Barça’s first-choice left winger next season bar an extraordinary downturn in form, with Rashford most likely utilized as a versatile impact substitute. The England international can operate out wide or through the center, offering Hansi Flick greater flexibility when picking his team next term.
Such an array of attacking options could help Barça go all the way in the Champions League next season—the only competition they entered but failed to win this past year. Raphinha is desperate for European glory next season after semifinal heartbreak last time out.
“The Champions League is a personal challenge in my career,” he said. “It’s also a club goal, to win our sixth Champions League title. I, in particular, will do everything possible to make it happen. And I’m sure the players are thinking the same thing.”
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This article was originally published on www.si.com as ‘Be Prepared’—Raphinha Opens Up on Marcus Rashford Competition at Barcelona.