Rafinha: "I think this could be my last season at Bayern Munich"
Bayern Munich defender Rafinha says he expects to leave the club when his contract expires at the end of the 2018/19 campaign.
Rafinha, 33, joined Bayern from Italian side Genoa in 2011, and - like Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery - signed a one-year extension in summer 2018.
Robben, 34, has already confirmed he will leave the club at the end of the season, while Ribery, 35, is also in the final year of his contract.
"My cycle at Bayern is coming to an end," Rafinha told SporTV. "A lot can happen in the next six months, but I think it's my last year."
Rafinha - who also played for Schalke between 2005-2010 - has made over 250 competitive appearances for Bayern. The Brazilian has won 16 titles in that time, including a 2012/13 Bundesliga, UEFA Champions League and DFB Cup treble.
"With Philipp Lahm ahead of me, I always say that I deserve a medal for playing over 200 games for Bayern," Rafinha told bundesliga.com following Lahm's retirement in 2017.
Although Rafinha subsequently found his playing time limited by the emergence of Joshua Kimmich, he has benefited from being able to operate at right- and left-back, making 54 appearances in all competitions over the last one-and-a-half seasons alone, including 15 so far this term.
"Some thought I wouldn't succeed here, but it's been fantastic," he said. "I'm very happy to be part of the history of a club as big as Bayern, and to play in the Bundesliga. I love this league! It'll stay with me forever."
Rafinha scored his 12th Bundesliga goal and sixth for Bayern in the 3-0 win at Eintracht Frankfurt prior to the winter break. He has also produced 40 Bundesliga assists.
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