At age 20, he moved to FC Zürich, being instrumental in the club's 2005–06 and 2006–07 league conquests; during both seasons, he led the competition in assists, while also adding 40 goals during his two-and-a-half-year spell.

In mid-January 2008, Raffael signed with German outfit Hertha BSC, being reunited with former Zürich teammates Lucien Favre and Steve von Bergen (respectively manager and player).

His first game in the Bundesliga was on 2 February, in a 0–3 home defeat against Eintracht Frankfurt; the following matchday, at VfB Stuttgart, he netted his first goal, as Hertha won it 3–1.

Making 140 appearances over four and a half years, Raffael experienced both the high and low points of the Berlin-based club's recent history, including a fourth-place finish 2008–09 season, in which Hertha lead the table for some time, and relegations in 2009–10 and 2011–12.

[4] On 25 June 2020, the sports director of Borussia Mönchengladbach Max Eberl confirmed that the contract of Raffael would not be renewed.