Following his move to AVS, Barbosa's current-season form is up 1300% on last season (Season 1→14), while his Rating eased 33→27. His peak season for form remains 2020/21 (Season 28).

Domestic career

Season	Club	Apps	G	A	Match	RTG	Season
2025/26	Leixoes · 7th	4	0	0	6.4	19	1
2025/26	AVS · 18th	13	1	2	6.57	27	10
2024/25	Radomiak Radom · 12th	9	0	1	6.52	21	3
2024/25	Farense · 17th	9	0	0	6.83	33	1
2023/24	Farense · 10th	32	1	1	6.74	42	13
2022/23	Tondela · 11th	33	5	0	—	48	21
2021/22	Tondela · 17th	29	2	2	6.65	53	24

Domestic-league totals per season. RTG = Field Insider Rating (potential / ceiling); Season = age-blind form that year. 4 earlier seasons and 4 youth-team spells in the full career.

Portugal · international

Side	Apps	G
Portugal U21	1	0
Portugal U17	1	0

Career caps & goals — tournament breakdown in the full career.

Scout report

Squad depthCreative Defensive midfielder

Rafael Barbosa is a 30-year-old defensive midfielder at AVS, rated 27.4 overall by Field Insider's model. An experienced operator, he has been a fringe squad member this season (21.2% of available minutes). His defensive output reads 2.36 tackles, blocks and interceptions per 90. Below: strengths, watch-points, market-value outlook and the latest transfer news on Barbosa.

On the season, Barbosa graded 14 for current form (age-blind), on 1 goal, 2 assists and 2.361 defensive actions per 90.

Year-on-year, that's a clear step up on last season (Season 1 → 14). Over the 6 seasons on record his form has drifted down, peaking in 2020/21.

On long-term talent our Rating reads 27. At 30 Barbosa is into the veteran stage, where the age curve weighs on the projection, and a market index of 5.2 reflects that trajectory.

From the career report

Read the full career report →

Below his 2020/21 peak but holding a solid level — the platform for a return is there.

Peak: 2020/21Holding levelStepped up 2023/24

27.4

Ratingi

below regular-starter level

13.7

Seasoni

below regular-starter level

21.2%

Minutes

limited game time

2.36

Def. actions / 90

moderate defensive volume

Output in context · AVS finished 18th of 18 · a relegation-threatened side

Apps

2.36

Def. / 90

Tackles

Interceptions

Clean sheets

2.36 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90 — moderate defensive volume, with 1 clean sheet across 13 appearances. Doing that for a relegation-threatened side (18th of 18) is harder than the bare numbers suggest: a back line under more pressure has to defend more often and protects fewer leads, so the volume — and any clean sheets — carry real weight. Going forward he chipped in 1 goal and 2 assists — a useful bonus from the back.

Strengths

Attacking threat. Chips in from deep: 0.42 goal involvements per 90, useful for a defensive midfielder.

Watch points

Game time. Only 21.2% of available minutes — needs a settled run to prove the level.
Level. Rates below a nailed-on top-tier starter on our model.

Outlook

Rated 27.4 overall — below regular-starter level. Defensively he reads as moderate defensive volume (2.36 tackles, blocks & interceptions per 90), with a bit more on the ball than most in the role. Experienced and reliable, but the value curve is easing (1× now → 0.7× projected in three years).

Generated from Field Insider's rating model · AI-written analysis to follow.

Per 90 & availability

Minutes played %21.2%

Available fixtures34 of 34

Goals / 900.139

Assists / 900.278

Goal contribution / 900.417

Defensive actions / 902.361

Player flow

Goal involvements3

Cards / 900.278

Season-by-season progression

Rating (potential)Season (form)

Value & potential by age

Market valueRating

Solid = now · dashed = projected

The gold line is market value — an index (not €) blending rating, age and league. It climbs through the early 20s, peaks around ages 23–27 (~7), then tapers with age. At 30, Barbosa sits on 5.2, past its peak and easing. The blue line is Barbosa's projected Rating — 27.4 today — recomputed at each age, so it follows the same rise-and-fall as a career matures and declines. Solid = up to today; dashed = projected.

Season statistics

Bars = where he ranks among defensive midfielders in the Segunda Liga with 600+ minutes this season.

Shooting

Goals1

Passing

Assists2

Defending

Tackles11

Interceptions5

Blocks1

Yellow/red cards

Yellow cards2

Red cards0

Transfer history

LeixoesFeb 2026 – nowFree

AVSJul 2025 – Feb 2026Free

Radomiak RadomJan 2025 – Jul 2025Free

FarenseJul 2023 – Jan 2025

TondelaAug 2020 – Jul 2023Free

Pacos Ferreira(on loan)Jan 2019 – Aug 2020

Portimonense(on loan)Jul 2018 – Jan 2019

Sporting CP(back from loan)Jan 2017 – Jul 2018

UU. Madeira(on loan)Jul 2016 – Jan 2017

Sporting CPuntil Jul 2016

About Rafael Barbosa

Rafael Avelino Pereira Pinto Barbosa is a 30-year-old defensive midfielder who plays for Leixoes, born on March 29, 1996 in Amarante, standing 174 cm tall. He is from Portugal. Leixoes currently sit 11th of 18 in the Segunda Liga.

This season

In the current season, Rafael Barbosa has made 10 appearances with 0 goals and 0 assists across 124 minutes, with 2 yellow cards.

Rafael Barbosa's next match is on September 6, 2026, when Leixoes face Amarante at home in the Segunda Liga.

Field Insider's view

Field Insider currently rates Rafael Barbosa at 27.4 with a Season form score of 13.7. See the full scout report for strengths, watch-points and the market-value outlook.

His honours include 4 career titles — among them the Segunda Liga and the Taça da Liga. Full list in the career record.

Career

Across 12 recorded seasons, Rafael Barbosa has totalled 287 club appearances with 29 goals and 8 assists for 11 different clubs. His busiest campaign came in 2017/18, with 34 appearances for Sporting CP B.

Rafael Barbosa's career has also included time at AVS, Radomiak Radom, Farense, Tondela, Pacos Ferreira, Portimonense, Sporting CP and UU. Madeira.

On the international stage, Rafael Barbosa has represented Portugal U21 and Portugal U17 — 2 caps in our records.

Transfer news

No transfer news found for this player.

Profile

Season stats

Also this season

Career

Scout report

Output in context · AVS finished 18th of 18 · a relegation-threatened side

Strengths

Watch points