Raphinha’s admiration for Neymar and Barcelona’s strategy to secure Eric Garcia

Gilabola.com – Barcelona star Raphinha expressed his admiration for Neymar, who he considers a role model in playing football, while on the other hand the club is trying to extend the contract of defender Eric Garcia amid interest from Paris Saint-Germain.

Raphinha considers Neymar to be a player who has extraordinary intelligence in understanding the game. He views the senior as being able to do difficult things in a seemingly simple way, something that he thinks only a handful of players in the world have.

For Raphinha, Neymar’s playing style is not only entertaining, but also inspires many young footballers in Brazil to follow in his footsteps and idolize him.

During his career at Barcelona, ​​Raphinha grew as a disciplined and influential player in Hansi Flick’s system. He is known to have a high pressing spirit which spreads to his teammates.

However, Raphinha’s absence in the last few matches has caused Barcelona’s front line performance to decline drastically and opened up space for opponents to penetrate their defense easily.

Meanwhile, Neymar, who is currently fighting with Santos, still hopes to return to strengthen the Brazilian national team at the next World Cup.

Raphinha is said to have great respect for his compatriot’s struggle even though Neymar has often been hit by injuries which have hindered his career in recent years.

Raphinha views Neymar’s determination to recover and perform at the highest level as motivation in itself. He considered that the never-give-up spirit reflects the true character of a great player.

For Raphinha, if Neymar manages to appear in the World Cup, it will be a golden opportunity for him to help his childhood idol win the trophy he never had.

Barcelona Tries to Keep Eric Garcia

On the other hand, Barcelona is reportedly holding new contract talks with Eric Garcia. The 24 year old defender appeared consistent under the direction of Hansi Flick, both when partnering with Pau Cubarsi or Ronald Araujo in the heart of defense. Eric also played in the right back position replacing Jules Kounde when needed.

Eric’s solid performance made the German coach want to keep him for the long term. However, the situation became complicated after Paris Saint-Germain showed serious interest in bringing him to the Parc des Princes.

Coach Luis Enrique, who once worked with Eric in the Spanish national team, is said to be interested in reuniting with his former protégé.

Even so, it is believed that Barcelona will not release Eric in the January transfer market considering that their squad is currently short of defenders due to injury. The club wants to ensure the player remains an important part of Hansi Flick’s long-term project.

With the team’s condition not yet completely stable, Barcelona seems to want to ensure that the foundation of their defense is not compromised. Eric is considered one of the local players who is capable of becoming a new leader in the back line.

Flick also hopes that contract talks will soon reach an agreement so that the team’s focus is not divided. If Eric signs a contract extension, it will be positive news in a situation where the club is still trying to recover after several bad results.