Nobody at Leeds United bares any hard feeling towards Brazil winger Raphinha after he sealed his dream move to Barcelona in the summer. The former Whites talisman played a big part in keeping Jesse Marsch's side in the Premier League last season, his performances on the pitch earning a move to the La Liga giants.
Barca may not be the formidable juggernaut of European football that they were more than a decade ago, but the size, stature and history of the club is enough to lure any player. Financial troubles have put the club in turmoil in recent years.
Spending beyond their means in the quest to re-establish themselves as one of European football's elite - is yet to bear fruit. For Raphinha, the start of the current campaign has been a struggle, despite hitting the ground running in pre-season.
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Leeds Live asked Matt Clark of La Liga Lowdown for an insight into Raphinha's Barcelona move and how he's fared at the Nou Camp.
The former Leeds United winger seemed to start pre-season well, was that the case?
Matt Clark: "Yes, he started as he finished for Leeds last season, as you will happily recall. Many prominent Barcelona fan accounts on Twitter were so keen to secure Raphinha that they actively started following the relegation battle, hoping Burnley would prevail to enable the reported relegation clause to be activated.
"Burnley and Barça, I'm not sure what Sean Dyche would think! In terms of pre-season, Raphinha really hit the ground running, scoring in his first two appearances, against Inter Miami and then Real Madrid in the United States.
"It may only have been a friendly, but any winner in a Clasico will always mean a lot to the Barça fans."
Where has it gone wrong for him?
MC: "The extent to which it has gone wrong is probably up for debate. It is still very early days in his career, and with all respect to Leeds, it is a step up for him, so personally I think he is still adjusting to such a change.
"Two goals and two assists in 13 LaLiga appearances is somewhat of a disappointing return compared to expectations, and it is true he has fallen out of the starting eleven in recent weeks - he hasn't started in the league since the Clásico in October."
He's still highly thought of with Brazil, why hasn't it worked out under Xavi?
MC: "He has been impressive for Brazil, and it does seem like his best form comes out in the yellow and blue of the Seleção rather than the Blaugrana of Barça. For me, I think the issue is a tactical one. Raphinha started on the right with Ousmane Dembélé on the left, but clearly the Frenchman operates better on the right hand side too, and has delivered more goal contributions than Raphinha.
"Beyond that, perhaps he is guilty of trying to impress to much, trying to do too much in possession rather than keeping his game simple. Given the embarrassment of riches in forward areas, the likes of Ferran Torres and Ansu Fati also competing for positions, it is easy to find yourself left out when the numbers aren't quite hitting the required mark in a closely-fought title race."
Raphinha quashed rumours about him leaving the Nou Camp, is it too early to suggest he's not at the level for Barcelona?
MC: "I think the rumours about his departure are nothing more than that to be honest. Barcelona invested a lot in him and unless they could recoup the same amount back, it wouldn't be in their financial interest to sell.
"As I mentioned earlier, the period of adjustment and acclimatisation is still ongoing, and I think he needs a full season before he can be fairly evaluated. In the modern game we are all used to quick reactions and snap judgements, which I don't think is fair in Raphinha's case.
"He has shown glimpses of what he can do, and should be given the opportunity to rediscover that consistency. His Brazil form is a reminder of what he can do when conditions are right.
"In the final game before the break, he scored the winner in the 85th-minute away against Osasuna to give 10-man Barca the crucial win to keep them top. It was a brilliant run from outside to in to beat the offside, and a great presence of mind to sense the keeper was off his line, allowing him to head the ball over his head and in.
"The celebrations were wild with the squad and subs, which gives an indication of the togetherness of the group. It was the perfect way for Raphinha to sign off before the World Cup."
The Spanish media were critical of his performances in the Champions League, was it fair to single him out in the performance against Bayern Munich?
MC: "It is true that his performance in the Bayern game was sub-par from him, but he wasn't alone in that respect. Barca's campaign as a whole was a disappointing one, and there are always scapegoats, with Sergio Busquets also taking a lot of hits.
"In the pivotal game against Inter, when Barca had to win, Raphinha started and looked really bright in the opening stages, but faded and was visibly frustrated when he was taken off."
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