The 2016-2017 campaign was meant to be the season that Rafinha finally arrived at Barcelona. Though he had been involved to some extent in his team’s empathic treble winning outing which concluded in May 2015 with a Champions League victory over Juventus, the following year had been one of misery and saw him confined to the sidelines after a torn cruciate ligament early on in Barça’s defence of their European crown saw him ruled out for six months.
He was declared fit again in March 2016, soon becoming a La Liga champion for the second time as Barcelona secured the double and finding himself called up to the Brazilian Olympic squad for the Rio games that saw the country of his father, USA ‘94 and Palmeiras legend Mazinho, clinch gold for the first time in history. On the back of his performances, with the Blaugrana making sure to lock him down in a lengthy contract in order to avoid a repeat of events that saw his brother Thiago Alcantara wind up at Bayern Munich for a cut-fee, there was even talk of Tite clearing a spot for him in the Seleção’s senior side that had yet to secure its involvement in Russia 2018.
But things didn’t go as planned. In a disastrous 2016-2017 season salvaged only by a Copa Del Rey triumph, injury problems again plagued Rafinha and his days were numbered at the Nou Camp as soon as Luis Enrique, who had given the midfielder invaluable La Liga first XI minutes on loan at Celta Vigo before assuming the mantle in Catalonia, was shown the door.
Though not permanently at first, so too was Rafinha himself when, in the most recent January transfer window, Inter Milan also opted to borrow him shortly once the player had returned from his lengthiest lay off yet of nine months. Scoring two goals in 18 appearances this year, the 25-year-old’s time in Italy has been a roaring success thus far which has in turn seen him become a fan favourite from the heart of midfield whilst having played his part in Inter’s return to Champions League after a six-year absence from the competition.
And not only the club’s supporters and its board will be delighted by these developments. As was agreed when Rafinha changed allegiances, the Nerazzurri must now keep their promise to make the move permanent and hand Barça the £30mn for their academy product that was pre-agreed by the two parties in the event the 2010 winners returned to Europe’s elite competition.
According to reports, fresh-off the back of Inter’s 3-2 dramatic comeback victory against Lazio that saw them pip the Romans to fourth-place on the final day of the season, top brass are now determined to try and convince Barcelona to lower their asking price or even allow them to take Rafinha on loan for another year. Whichever deal is finally struck, however, it goes without saying that players of his calibre and that of sought-after captain Mauro Icardi will be much needed if advancing in Europe is deemed a priority.
