Vampeta claimed the information had come from people close to the club, although he acknowledged it was effectively gossip he had heard during the Club World Cup. He said: "Raphinha is going through a serious family problem, in addition to financial difficulties. He's praying to see if he can go to Al-Hilal, he's dealing with this situation.
"It's a family matter. The information reached me through people close to the situation at Barcelona. He's hoping that signing for Al-Hilal will allow him to turn things around."
Those comments prompted a swift reaction from Raphinha's family, perMarca. His cousin, Igor Padilha, challenged the allegations on social media after a clip of the interview circulated online. Responding directly to Vampeta, Padilha wrote: "You're going to have to explain these lies, my friend."