Barcelona forward Rafael Dias 'Raphinha' confessed in an interview with Barça One that, although he was 'very pleased,' he did not expect to be chosen as one of the team captains: 'If I told you I was expecting it, I'd be lying.'

'Robert (Lewandowski) could also be a captain, as could Jules (Kounde) and Iñigo (Martínez)... In reality, they are already leaders in the locker room. This means that what I do internally is noticed by the guys and the veterans. Being a captain means being ready to play and help in any way needed and fighting for everything, both on and off the field,' he explained.

The Brazilian forward said he is going through his 'best moment' since joining Barça. 'But I can still improve more, and I believe I can help the team a lot more,' he assured.

His great form coincides with the team’s success, although Raphinha admitted that 'when you win the first four games, everything is easier.' Even scoring a hat-trick, as he did against Valladolid, adds to this positive momentum.

'It was the first hat-trick of my professional career. I place a lot of importance on numbers. I really enjoy scoring and assisting, but in my opinion, the most important thing is the team's victory, regardless of what I do individually, though scoring a hat-trick is special,' he commented.

With new coach Hansi Flick, Raphinha seems very comfortable but says he’s not asked to do 'anything special' on the field.

'I don’t think he asks any player to do anything special. What he asks of us is to be a team, to attack together, press together, and defend together,' he summarized.