Rafinha Backs Ter Stegen Amid Barcelona Captaincy Dispute

Brazilian star defends teammate and hails new boss Flick’s leadership style

Rafinha Backs Ter Stegen Amid Barcelona Captaincy Dispute

Barcelona winger Raphinha's come out in full support of Marc Andre ter Stegen who's at the center of captaincy debate ahead of the new season at Camp Nou.

"He Should Remain Captain"

Speaking to Radio Catalunya, Raphinha stressed the German goalkeeper’s importance:

"In my opinion, Ter Stegen should remain the 1st captain. Since I arrived at Barca, he's always been supportive. There’s hierarchy in football that must be respected but ultimately it’s not our decision as players"

He added:

"Even if he’s not officially the main captain, he'll always be leader for us"

Captain Vote? "Up to the Coach or President"

When asked about the possibility of vote to determine the new captain, Raphinha said:

"I don’t know. That’s up to the coach or the president"

Despite expressing interest in the armband, he made it clear that leadership isn’t tied to titles:

"It would be great honor to be the main captain but regardless, I’ll keep giving everything for the club and supporting my teammates"

🚨 Raphinha: "Should Ter Stegen remain captain? Yes, in my opinion, yes. But in the end, this is not something that depends on us. Since I came, he has always helped me and was already a captain." pic.twitter.com/KOTJFvq1km

— Barça Universal (@BarcaUniversal) August 1, 2025

Praise for Flick & Support for Lamine Yamal

Raphinha also praised new manager Hansi Flick highlighting their strong connection:

"Flick was special for me. I'd my best season thanks to his trust. He was the one who gave me the armband. Even though there was vote, his decision was decisive"

Finally the Brazilian winger fiercely defended rising star Lamine Yamal from recent criticism:

"I don’t understand the attacks on him. Those criticizing him never had his talent at his age. As long as his behavior doesn’t affect his performance, he’s free to live his life. He’s responsible & answers critics with his game"..