Leeds United winger Raphinha has been speaking from Brazil's international base, after finally joining up with the Selecao for the first-time.
The Brazilian was called up to the international side for the last international break but was unable to travel to South America due to a Premier League pact to not release players to red-listed countries. At the time, the UK government refused to provide an exemption to footballers having to quarantine for 10 days after their return, meaning that all of the players would miss several Premier League fixtures.
A compromise of sorts has been agreed for this international break, meaning that Raphinha was this time able to travel to Brazil and he has shared his disappointment at what happened last time around.
"It was very complicated, I got very frustrated," the winger said in a press conference, Globo Esporte reported per Sport Witness.
He went on to say that he had hoped that a solution would be able to be found but one was not forthcoming.
“Of course I hoped to come until the last moment. I kept in touch with Juninho, the staff as well, talking to the club staff to see if somehow this could be resolved, but unfortunately it wasn’t," he continued.
“What I could do was keep my head on straight, keep working, because I knew that in a few weeks I was going to have another call. So I could only stay focused, have a good head to keep working to have another opportunity.”
Leeds are grateful that their number 10 used this disappointment as a motivating factor to go and gain another call-up as his performances have been vital to Leeds. He has been at the heart of all of the Whites' most dangerous attacks and is their top goalscorer so far with three goals.
Raphinha was also asked about whether he had been tempted by representing Italy, as he is also eligible to play for the European champions. However, he said that Brazil was always his dream.
Although conversations were had with officials as well as Chelsea's Jorginho, he said, "The Brazilian national team has always been my goal, since I was little. Even with double citizenship, my desire has always been to represent the national team. Even with contact, with conversations I had.”
Asked about playing under Marcelo Bielsa at Elland Road, Raphinha said that his manager was 'very demanding' but that this suits him due to the player's own 'way of being, which is very demanding (of himself)'.
Raphinha will have three opportunities to gain his first cap for his country over this international break, as Brazil face Venezuela, Colombia and Uruguay.
