Barcelona winger Raphinha has expressed deep gratitude toward manager Hansi Flick, crediting him for changing the course of his career. Ahead of Sunday’s El Clasico against Real Madrid, Raphinha shared how Flick’s influence made all the difference. The Brazilian revealed that, without Flick’s intervention, he might not have been at Barcelona today.

“I’ll always be thankful to Hansi Flick. He completely transformed my career,” Raphinha said, as quoted by Fabrizio Romano. “He wanted to see me in training before deciding my future, and he included me in his plans. Without him, I might be at another club right now, not Barcelona.”

Raphinha has been in outstanding form this season, scoring 32 goals and assisting 25 in 51 appearances for the Catalan side. He has already secured the Copa del Rey and Supercopa de España titles with Barcelona, and his performances have earned him a place as the joint-top scorer in the UEFA Champions League, tied with Borussia Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy, both with 13 goals.

Brazilian football legend Rivaldo has even backed Raphinha to claim the 2025 Ballon d’Or, a testament to his remarkable rise.

Victor Osimhen is set for a major switch to Juventus after reaching a deal with the club’s sporting director, Cristiano Giuntoli, according to journalist Raffaele Auriemma of Tuttosport. Juventus have reportedly tabled an offer worth €85 million to secure the Nigerian striker’s services. Napoli president Aurelio De Laurentiis, despite initial reluctance, has given the green light for the move, preferring to cash in now rather than lose Osimhen for nothing when his contract ends in 2026.

Currently on loan at Galatasaray, Osimhen has been in explosive form, netting 33 goals in 38 appearances this season. His outstanding performance has made headlines in Turkey, where he has openly expressed admiration for Galatasaray. Osimhen, who previously led Napoli to a Serie A title and was named African Footballer of the Year, will be replaced by Romelu Lukaku, whom Napoli signed from Chelsea last year.

Arsenal manager Mikel Arteta has addressed the ongoing rumors surrounding Martin Ødegaard’s captaincy, making it clear that the Norwegian midfielder will not be stripped of the armband. Speculation had surfaced following a string of disappointing performances from the team, including their Champions League exit. Despite this, The Athletic reports that these rumors are unfounded, and Ødegaard is set to retain the captain’s role for next season.

After a knee injury sidelined him for almost three months, Ødegaard’s form has dipped, with only one Premier League goal since the start of the year. His impact was also lacking during Arsenal’s Champions League semi-final tie against Paris Saint-Germain, where the Gunners lost 1-0 in both legs.

Despite calls from pundit Mark Lawrenson for Arteta to consider handing the captaincy to Declan Rice, Arsenal is reportedly confident that Ødegaard will remain as captain when the new season begins. The 24-year-old was appointed captain in 2022 after Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Alexandre Lacazette’s departures.