Raphinha No.9 role has surprised Rodri, with the Manchester City midfielder praising the Barcelona forward’s transition from winger to striker

Manchester City midfielder Rodri Hernández has revealed that Barcelona forward Raphinha is the player who has surprised him most, highlighting the Brazilian’s impressive adaptation to a No.9 role.

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Rodri made the comments in an interview with Spanish outlet COPE, as reported by football journalist Fabrizio Romano, while reflecting on Raphinha’s evolution from his days as a winger at Leeds United.

“Raphinha is the player who surprised me the most,” Rodri said.

The Spain international recalled speaking to Raphinha about his changing role on the pitch and his willingness to operate closer to goal.

“I told Raphinha: you were a winger at Leeds! Now you like to play as No.9, right?” Rodri said.

According to Rodri, Raphinha admitted that the position initially did not appeal to him before gradually embracing the responsibilities that come with playing centrally.

“He told me: I didn’t like it at the beginning but… now I love it,” Rodri added.

Raphinha’s development into a more central attacking role has added another dimension to his game at Barcelona, where his pace, movement and finishing have allowed him to influence matches from advanced positions.

The Brazilian previously established himself primarily as a wide forward, particularly during his time at Leeds, before becoming an increasingly versatile attacking option at Barcelona.

Rodri’s comments offer an insight into how noticeable that tactical evolution has been among fellow elite players.

The midfielder, who has faced Raphinha at club and international level, singled out the Brazilian’s positional transformation rather than simply his technical ability.

Raphinha’s willingness to adapt has therefore become an important part of his attacking profile, with his No.9 role allowing him to operate closer to the penalty area while still drawing on the qualities that made him effective from the wing.

The remarks also underline how modern forwards are increasingly being asked to move between traditional positions, with wide players often shifting centrally during matches to create additional attacking options.

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For Raphinha, the transition appears to have developed from something he initially disliked into a role he now enjoys, according to Rodri’s account.