Victor Orta had words with Leeds United star Raphinha after Elland Road pictures emerge – Phil Hay
Phil Hay has shared that Victor Orta had words with Leeds United star Raphinha on Sunday afternoon [15 May] after the Brazilian was pictured taking in Elland Road.
The Whites had just drawn 1-1 with Brighton to give them a shot at survival in the Premier League this season, but it looked as though the winger was saying goodbye to West Yorkshire.
Kalvin Phillips was spotted bringing a cardboard sign from the crowd to Raphinha, who was then also taken in by Orta, who looks to have tried but failed to keep hold of his star man.
Writing in his latest piece for The Athletic on Wednesday [18 May], Hay shared what he spotted after those images surfaced at the start of this week.
“The collapse of this season culminated in Raphinha seeking solitude after Sunday’s draw with Brighton, perched against a post in front of Elland Road’s South Stand and staring into the middle distance,” he wrote.
“Phillips saw him and went to speak to him, carrying a cardboard sign saying ‘Raphinha, make me smile’. Raphinha took it with him when he finally left the pitch.
“Orta had a few words with him too.”
Goodbye?
It is hard to view this as anything but that.
Raphinha was clearly upset, and what was more worrying is that Phillips was doing the exact same but with his entire family, making us think it could be a double blow.
No one is expecting the Brazilian to remain at Elland Road past this season now, whether we survive or not, and this appeared to be confirmation of that with Barcelona waiting in the wings.
Jesse Marsch won’t get dragged into that with such a huge game on the horizon.
Should Everton and Burnley both lose on Thursday evening in their games-in-hand, Leeds know that if they better the result of the Clarets over the weekend, they will stay up.
It would be a brilliant achievement given that they have been fully written of over the past couple of weeks in a season where we have been decimated by injuries.
Hopefully, Raphinha can step up and do the trick on what could be the last time we ever see him, now that would be the way to sign out of the club.
In other Leeds United news, Phil Hay has shared if Andrea Radrizzani heard fans chants during the Brighton draw