Now club captain, Raphinha was brought to Barca when Xavi was in charge.
He told Romario's YouTube channel about the former Leeds winger: "I signed Raphinha. I asked the club to sign Raphinha. In fact, I already wanted to sign him for Al Sadd when he was in Portugal.
"My boss told me to, but Raphinha stayed in Europe. Then I told Jordi Cruyff and Mateu Alemany that we had to sign him because he's a winner, he attacks deep, he's good in one-on-one situations, and he scores goals. I always trusted Rafa, and I have a very good relationship with him. But the coach has to understand the performance during matches.
"If a player isn't performing, another one has to come in. We also had players who could make a difference. I remember a very good conversation with Raphinha in training. He was frustrated, and I told him, 'Rafa, you've signed here for five years. Relax. Have confidence.' You're not being natural, but don't worry'.
"I understand the changes weren't helping him, but now he's really blossomed. We already saw a lot of talent in him, and I'm very happy about it because he's a good kid, a winner, responsible, and a leader. He could definitely be one of the big names at the World Cup."