Besiktas coach Sergen Yalcin publicly revealed a significant breakdown in communication and an ongoing dispute with Portuguese forward Rafa, who has refused to speak directly with him and expressed a desire to leave the Turkish club.
Yalcin stated that Rafa no longer “deigns to speak” with him, instead communicating through his agent. This indirect approach has fueled the growing tension between the player and the coaching staff.
The coach recounted that Rafa first expressed his unhappiness on Yalcin’s very first day in charge. “Rafa told me: ‘I’m unhappy here. I came to the pre-season camp under obligation. I don’t want to stay’,” Yalcin said.
Yalcin attempted to resolve the issue initially, promising Rafa he would be made comfortable and emphasizing his importance as the team’s “most valuable player.”
However, the situation deteriorated significantly “during the week of the Kasimpasa game,” according to Yalcin, reaching an “unsustainable point.” At that time, Rafa declared he would neither train nor play.
Yalcin informed the club president that he could no longer resolve the issue. He stressed that while he had dealt with the player as best he could, “nobody is bigger than Besiktas.”
Despite the public rift, Yalcin stated that the “door is still open” for Rafa at the club. “If he wants to come train, he should come. He will be utilized,” the coach added.
Yalcin confirmed that Rafa’s agent had contacted the club and issued threats, leaving the decision of Rafa’s future – whether to continue or terminate his contract – to the club’s administration. He compared the situation to global stars like Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi being substituted, reiterating that “nobody is bigger than Besiktas.”
Rafa is reportedly holding meetings with the president, whom he “adores,” according to Yalcin, further highlighting the coach’s feeling of being bypassed in the communication breakdown. Yalcin also noted that another player, Keny Arroyo, had similarly expressed initial dissatisfaction but that Rafa’s situation had escalated uniquely.