🚨Raphinha on his conversation with Lamine Yamal after his hat-trick against Sevilla:
🎙️ Reporter: “Raphinha, we saw Lamine Yamal run straight to you after your third goal. What did he say to you?”
🗣️ Raphinha: “After I scored, Lamine came over to celebrate with me. We were happy, everyone was shouting, but when the celebration finished he looked at me and said, ‘Bro, you need to give me some of these goals. People are going to start thinking I can’t score goals.’”
“I started laughing. I told him, ‘Don’t worry, the next one will fall for you.’ We laughed and went back to the game.
“That’s the competition between us. We both want to score. Nobody wants to finish a game without getting on the scoresheet.
“But honestly, Lamine makes my life very easy sometimes. He gets the ball, attracts two or three players, waits for the right moment and then puts it exactly where I need it.
“My job is simple after that don’t waste the chance.
“Sometimes after a game he’ll come to me and say, ‘I gave you three chances today and you scored three.’ And I’ll tell him, ‘Then keep giving me three.’
“But it works both ways. I want him scoring too. When he scores, I’m happy because I know what it does for his confidence.
“We joke about the goals, we compete, we tease each other, but there is no jealousy.
“If he has the better position, I give him the ball. If I have the better position, he gives it to me.
“And maybe that’s why we work so well together.
“We both want to be the player deciding the game.
“But if one of us has to score the winner…”
Raphinha laughs.
“Hopefully it’s me.”
🚨 Gabriel Jesus on what Hansi Flick told him before coming on against Racing Santander:
🎙️ “Before I came on, Flick was very clear with me. He told me not to wait for the game to come to me. He wanted me to be aggressive, attack the spaces, press immediately and, most importantly, make the right decision when the ball came to me.
He basically told me, ‘Gabi, don’t delay. Don’t take extra touches just because you are a striker. If the opportunity is there, make the decision immediately.’
That stayed in my head.
When Lamine played the ball to me for the goal, I already had the goal in my mind before the ball even reached me. I wasn’t thinking about trapping it, holding it or taking another touch. I knew exactly what I wanted to do.
The instruction was simple — don’t delay the ball like some strikers do when they receive it inside the box. Do what is best for the team in that exact moment.
So when the ball came to me, I just played it. I didn’t need to control it first. I trusted the movement, trusted my instinct and went for the finish. Thankfully, it came off perfectly.
That is one thing I really enjoy about playing under Flick. He gives you the freedom to attack, but he also demands that you think quickly. You cannot switch off because another chance can appear in one second.
I also really enjoy playing with Martinelli. His movement, his intensity and the way he attacks defenders make things easier for the players around him. When you have players making those runs, you know there will always be space to attack.
And with Lamine, it is similar. He sees things very quickly. The pass for my goal was exactly the kind of ball you want as a striker.
For me, the biggest thing was not just scoring. It was understanding what Flick wanted before I stepped onto the pitch and then executing it immediately.
That is what he demands from us — no hesitation, no unnecessary touches, just make the right decision and attack.”
🚨🔵🔴 BREAKING: Barcelona agree deal to sign Gabriel Jesus from Arsenal, here we go!
Exclusive details: medical booked on Monday, #AFC to receive €10m package plus add-ons for permament deal.
Gabriel Jesus will travel for medical as authorized by Arsenal.