The FC Barcelona dressing room experienced one of the tensest moments of the season this Sunday.
After the agonizing 3–2 win against Deportivo Alavés at Montjuïc, Raphinha Dias Belloli exploded publicly and without filters in the tunnel, directly pointing at Robert Lewandowski as the main reason for the team’s collective fragility.
According to eyewitnesses and internal club sources, the Brazilian winger shouted in front of several teammates and staff members:
“We’re playing 10 against 12 every match when this player is on the field! There’s no way he should still be starting after everything we keep seeing!”
The sentence, picked up by ambient microphones and confirmed by at least four people present, fell like a nuclear bomb inside Barça and is already circulating nonstop in WhatsApp groups of players, journalists, and executives.
A Nightmare Match
The match against Alavés had been torture.
Barcelona went 2–0 up thanks to goals from Lamine Yamal and Ferran Torres, but within just twelve minutes in the second half they allowed the Basque side to come back:
• A childish penalty by Lewandowski (a ridiculous handball in the box after losing the ball while building out),
• A second goal born from another loss by the Polish striker in the midfield,
• And a third goal on a counterattack that the Barça No. 9 didn’t even bother to chase.
Only a stunning free-kick goal by Raphinha in the 87th minute and a Pedri strike in the 93rd prevented disaster.
However, the flattering final score did nothing to calm tempers. Inside the dressing room, with Hansi Flick still giving tactical instructions, Raphinha erupted. According to multiple matching accounts:
He walked directly to Lewandowski, without hesitation:
“Lewy, with all due respect, but you’re not doing anything right. You’re killing us.”
Then he raised his voice toward the coaching staff:
“How long are we going to keep this up? It’s the tenth straight match where he costs us points! He doesn’t run, he doesn’t press, he loses every ball and on top of that he commits childish penalties!”
He closed his rant with the now–viral sentence:
“We’re playing 10 against 12, and we all know it.”
Silence followed — absolute and suffocating. Neither Lewandowski (who kept his eyes on the floor), nor Flick, nor the captains (Ter Stegen and Frenkie de Jong) responded. Only Gavi, according to sources, nodded silently while removing his shin pads.
Lewandowski’s Numbers Are Brutal — In the Worst Way
Lewandowski’s stats this season are painfully bad:
5 goals in 15 LaLiga matches (his worst since 2009–10) No goals in his last 7 games 11 lost balls that turned into goals for the opponent (a historic LaLiga record) 3 penalties conceded (all from avoidable fouls or handballs) 0.31 expected goals (xG) per match — the lowest of his career
Meanwhile, Raphinha is experiencing the best form of his life:
14 goals and 11 assists in all competitions Team’s top scorer The only Barcelona player in the top-10 of the European Golden Boot rankings
Inside sources say the Brazilian had already warned Flick and Deco privately three weeks ago:
“If we continue like this, we’re throwing the league away.”
Social Media Erupts — Former Players Add Fuel
The reaction was instant. #RaphinhaTieneRazon (“Raphinha is Right”) became a global trend in less than an hour with over 280,000 posts.
Former players such as Gerard Piqué wrote:
“Sometimes you have to tell the truth, even if it hurts.”
Bojan Krkić added:
“The dressing room always knows before anyone else.”
Even Vitor Roque, usually a quiet substitute, posted a story saying:
“Football doesn’t lie.”
with a fire emoji.
Lewandowski’s Camp in Crisis
Lewandowski’s entourage leaked late at night that the striker “is devastated” and is “considering asking to leave in January if the situation doesn’t change.”
His agent, Pini Zahavi, has reportedly already made contact with MLS and Saudi clubs offering enormous contracts through 2027.
Flick Tries to Contain the Fire
At Monday’s training press conference, Hansi Flick attempted to cool things down:
“We are a family. Emotions run high after matches, but everything is handled internally. Robert is our offensive captain and still has my trust.”
However, when asked whether Lewandowski will start next Saturday against Mallorca, the German simply replied:
“I’ll decide that during the week.”
What Comes Next?
Inside the club, no one dares predict the outcome. Laporta is reportedly “furious” about the leak but also “aware that Lewy’s performances are unsustainable.”
Deco has already activated the exit plan: Viktor Gyökeres (Sporting CP) has reappeared as a January target, and Vitor Roque is increasingly seen as the main No. 9 for 2026.
One thing is certain: Raphinha has broken the taboo.
The Brazilian — who arrived as a star in 2022 but spent two years overshadowed — has become the most authoritative voice in the dressing room.
And his message is crystal clear:
If the centre-forward situation doesn’t change, Barcelona will not win anything important again.
The next chapter will be written on Saturday in Son Moix. But now, nobody doubts it:
In today’s Barcelona, the one wearing the invisible captain’s armband is Raphinha.
