‘Don’t Expect’—Raphinha Makes Brutally Honest Lamine Yamal, Barcelona Future Admission

Raphinha is ready to make his return to the pitch after over a month on the sidelines, but the Brazilian has warned Barcelona fans that they shouldn’t expect him to perform at the same level as fellow winger Lamine Yamal.

Yamal won’t play again for Barcelona this season thanks to a hamstring injury. Raphinha, who is returning from a hamstring injury himself, is a big candidate to occupy Yamal’s spot on the right wing for what remains of the campaign.

The Brazilian operated as a right winger during his time at Leeds United and has also played there for the national team. But with Barcelona, he’s almost exclusively played on the left with Yamal on the right. Ahead of his return to the pitch, Raphinha made an honest admission about his ability to fill Yamal’s void.

“I’m comfortable playing on the right,” Raphinha told Movistar Plus. “But obviously if I play on the right wing, don’t expect anything special, because I’m not Lamine [Yamal]. Lamine is a star and the things he does ... it’s his.”

Raphinha is expected to make his return to action in El Clásico against Real Madrid, a game where he could lift his third La Liga title since joining Barcelona in the summer of 2022.

Raphinha Wants to Be at Barcelona For ‘Many Years’

In a wide-ranging interview, Raphinha touched on how Real Madrid are a rival that he enjoys playing against, given they are the team he’s scored the most goals against in his career and also the team he’s defeated most.

But the Brazilian also spoke about his future, a topic that’s been heavily scrutinized in recent weeks. Talk of him potentially being bound for the Saudi Pro League was debunked swiftly, and Raphinha himself took aim at the “lies” written about him.

The noise about him potentially being undecided about his future has been quieted, especially with the Brazilian revealing his intention is to stay in Catalonia for the long haul.

“I see myself many years here,” Raphinha said. “I have a contract until 2028, and if the club wants to speak with me I’m open.”

Raphinha signed a three-year contract extension soon after the conclusion of his career year in 2024–25. A year later, the Brazilian has now hinted at his willingness to stay with the Catalans for even longer.

All signs point towards Raphinha staying put at Barcelona for the foreseeable future, though, as he himself admitted, Yamal is the owner of the right wing in Hansi Flick’s side, and Raphinha will be back as a left winger come 2026–27.

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