Raphinha admits he has a ‘special affection’ towards 17-year-old Barcelona wonderkid | OneFootball

One of the major reasons behind the success of this current FC Barcelona team is the connection of the players themselves. Playing and defending the badge like a family, this team stands up and defends one another through thick and thin. Thanks to this feeling of camaraderie, this new-look Barcelona team looks more dangerous than ever.

However, there are certain players within this team who continue to contribute towards this team-building and overall chemistry between the players. These leaders of the dressing room and on the pitch are key components within Hansi Flick’s machine, and Barcelona must be equally grateful to them.

One particular partnership that highlights this feeling of connection better than others is that of Raphinha and Lamine Yamal. The Brazilian and Spanish wingers have been two of Barça’s best players this season, as revealed by Raphinha himself in an interview with losimplenovale, Yamal is a player for whom he has a rather ‘special affection’:

“He [Lamine Yamal] is my boy. I have a very special affection for him. When he joined us in training in the first year when I arrived, I already saw his quality and potential, and we just have to wait until we see the magic he does on the field.”

Both of the two Barcelona forwards, alongside Robert Lewandowski, currently also form the most in-form and deadly attacking trio in all of Europe at the moment. In terms of goals scored and direct involvements, they are one of the key factors that make Hansi Flick’s Barcelona such a great team to watch and compete against.

Moreover, with Raphinha already hailing the 17-year-old winger as one of the best players in the world, it just goes on to show the mutual respect between the captain and the team’s prodigious youngster. In many ways, both of them have been instrumental in allowing Barça to play the way that they have this season.

Yamal recently ended up winning the Kopa Trophy as well at the Ballon d’Or ceremony, and he continues on the path towards greatness. Similarly, Raphinha has found a renewed and revived version of himself this season that continues to score goals for fun and consistently remains one of the team’s best performers this season game after game.