Leeds United hero Mateusz Klich has revealed the thing that surprised him the most about Raphinha when he moved to Elland Road.
After a difficult first season at Leeds United, Mateusz Klich went on to become a firm fan favourite for his impressive performances under Marcelo Bielsa.
Having helped Leeds earn promotion from the Championship, Klich was also a mainstay of the side that romped to a ninth-place finish on their return to the Premier League.
Raphinha was one of the most high-profile additions to the Leeds squad following their promotion, before he went on to join Barcelona, finishing fifth in the 2025 Ballon d’Or race.
Now, Klich has opened up on what surprised him the most about Raphinha when he joined the club, as he helped raise the standard alongside fellow new signing Rodrigo Moreno.
Mateusz Klich praises Leeds United icon Raphinha
Speaking to the Foot Truck podcast in his native Poland, Klich reminisced on his initial impressions of Raphinha following his transfer from Rennes.
The Leeds squad was famed for its fitness levels under Bielsa, fuelled by his intense training methods. However, according to Klich, Raphinha’s fitness was on another level when he joined the squad.
Klich said: “We looked very good physically. He looked even better physically than we did. He and Rodrigo were good with the ball. It was a matter of time before he succeeded with Barcelona.”
Raphinha made an immediate impact with Leeds, scoring six goals and registering nine assists as he established himself as a firm fan favourite at the club.
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Klich reveals how Raphinha felt over potential Chelsea move
Raphinha eventually left Leeds in the summer of 2022, as Leeds cashed in on the Brazilian and his teammate Kalvin Phillips.
According to Klich, he did not doubt that Raphinha would succeed at Barcelona. He also explained that Barcelona was the only club he was ever likely to join, despite strong interest from Leeds’ Premier League rivals, Chelsea.
“If I went to Real Madrid, I wouldn’t expect it to be easy,” the Leeds favourite said: “It’s not easy to move to a club like Barcelona. There’s a lot of pressure.
“I remember Rafa saying in the locker room that he only wants to go to Barcelona. It was his childhood dream to play for Barcelona.
“There was the Chelsea issue and other things that happened. He didn’t want to go to Chelsea; he wanted to go to Barcelona.”
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