Have Barcelona become too reliant on Raphinha under Hansi Flick?

Barcelona’s transformation of Raphinha from fringe figure to indispensable cog has been so swift that the club now confronts an uncomfortable question: have the Blaugrana grown dangerously dependent on the Brazilian winger?

Signed from Leeds United for an initial fee that drew shrugs inside Camp Nou, the 29-year-old appeared anything but a future talisman. Under Xavi Hernández he was routinely withdrawn around the hour mark, a pattern that fuelled speculation of an imminent exit. Yet the arrival of Hansi Flick has unlocked a different player entirely. Energised by the German’s trust, Raphinha has become the first defender in attack, pressing relentlessly while supplying chances at a rate that has helped propel Barça to the top of LaLiga and into the latter stages of the Champions League.

The numbers are stark. With Raphinha on the pitch this season, Barcelona have won 91 per cent of their fixtures; without him, the figure collapses to 60 per cent. Five of the club’s six defeats in 2025-26 have arrived in matches in which the Brazilian was unavailable, a sequence that underlines his importance to Flick’s high-octane system. When the winger is absent, the Catalans lose the pincer movement that stretches opponents, leaving Lamine Yamal on the opposite flank to shoulder an uneven creative burden. Marcus Rashford’s recent impact has mitigated the loss, but the team’s attacking patterns become predictable once Raphinha’s vertical thrust is removed.

Responsibility has followed form: Raphinha has occasionally worn the captain’s armband over the past two seasons, a nod to his growing influence in the dressing room. His performances mirror the excellence that powered Barcelona’s procession to last season’s league title and a memorable European run that ended only in the semi-finals. With a World Cup looming, maintaining this level serves both club and country.

Saturday’s shock reverse at the Metropolitano, however, offered a sobering reminder of the squad’s fragility when its most in-form attacker is sidelined. Until Flick can cultivate alternative solutions down the flanks, Barcelona’s title ambitions—and their hopes of a first Champions League triumph since 2015—rest heavily on the fitness and form of one Brazilian whirlwind.