Barcelona set date for Raphinha contract renewal after weeks of waiting

The agreement has been settled for a while now: only the official procedures remain

After weeks of waiting and several postponements caused by scheduling conflicts, Barcelona have finally set a date to formalise the contract renewal of their Brazilian star Raphinha.

Catalan newspaper "Sport" report that the renewal ceremony will take place tomorrow, Thursday, tying Raphinha to the Catalan club until 2030, barring a last-minute twist.

The agreement itself was wrapped up some time ago. The newspaper previously detailed a meeting between Deco and Raphinha at a restaurant, where the sporting director and the player ironed out the final details of his stay in a face-to-face chat. Both sides reached a full understanding, leaving only the official formalities to confirm the deal.

Deco later told a gathering of the club's representatives that the renewal paperwork was already complete, but clashing diaries had stopped the official ceremony going ahead. The holdup comes down purely to scheduling, with no dispute whatsoever between club and player.

Thursday fits perfectly. Barcelona played Aston Villa in the Champions League on Tuesday evening, and a recovery session is pencilled in for today, Wednesday.

Hansi Flick is likely to hand his players a day off tomorrow, though the final call rests with the German coach. A day clear of any football would make staging the renewal ceremony far simpler.

From Friday, the team will switch focus to Sunday's eagerly awaited trip to Atletico Madrid, with a final session on Saturday before the squad travels to the Spanish capital.

This renewal lands during one of the finest spells of the Brazilian's career. At 29, Raphinha is in exceptional form, and he proved it again on Tuesday with two goals against Aston Villa in the Champions League.

His two goals told only half the story. Raphinha ran himself into the ground, pressing relentlessly and making himself one of the most active players even without the ball. He kept disrupting the English side's attempts to build from the back, turning in a complete display and underlining his knack for making a decisive mark on the biggest occasions.

His contribution stretches well beyond the numbers. Raphinha is one of the team's leaders and a pivotal dressing-room figure, especially for the young players who prize his professionalism and dedication in every session.

Flick holds the Brazilian in high regard, admiring his daily commitment and his willingness to graft for the team, even when it means putting in a shift far from the opponent's box. His performance against Aston Villa was another reminder of what he offers the coach.

The sporting management view a player of this calibre and experience as a hugely valuable asset.

Raphinha, for his part, is fully invested in the Catalan club's project, and he has never hidden his desire to stay.