Raphinha has welcomed competition with his FC Barcelona teammate Lamine Yamal.
FC Barcelona forward Raphinha has welcomed competition for minutes with his positional rival Lamine Yamal.
The Brazilian has recently returned from an injury-forced spell on the sidelines during which 16-year-old Lamine shone with a string of goals and assists on the right wing.
On Saturday against Getafe, the Spain prodigy was rested as Raphinha started, scored and assisted in a 4-0 win which returned Barca to second place five points behind bitter rivals Real Madrid.
Questioned on his battle with Lamine, to convince head coach Xavi Hernandez that he is better suited to lining up from the offset for the Blaugrana, Raphinha said: “I’m not worried.”
“Having Lamine competing with me is a privilege because he’s going to be a high-level player, one of the best.”
“It is an honour and this makes us improve, both me and him. It makes me want to give more as a player and I’m sure Lamine thinks the same. This competition in a team like Barca is good,” Raphinha stressed.
Above all, Raphinha believes that the “important thing is to win” as Barca looks to successfully defend its La Liga title against the odds and also make a deep run in the Champions League.
“We always have to think about the next game and in the end we will see how we are”.
Raphinha said he was extra motivated against Getafe this weekend because of being sent off at their ground earlier in the season.
“I’m happy to be back in the starting eleven like this, scoring and assisting, but obviously the most important thing is the victory. We’re alive in the competition,” Raphinha insisted about La Liga.
After drawing 1-1 against Napoli on the continent midweek, where Lamine started and Raphinha came off the bench in a last 16 first leg tie, the pair will now have to work hard in training to earn Xavi’s trust for Barca’s next outing.
With a rare eight days’ rest, that will be a difficult away trip to San Mames against Athletic Club, which provided the setting for Barca being KO’d out of the Copa del Rey quarterfinals in extra time last month.
