Raphinha played a key role in Barcelona’s dominant 5-1 victory over Mallorca, scoring twice to help the team return to winning ways after three consecutive setbacks.
The Brazilian winger, speaking after the game, emphasized how crucial it was to get back to winning form. He acknowledged that Barcelona had been lacking something in their previous three league matches, preventing them from securing a victory.
“We knew the importance of winning again. We knew that in the last three league games, something was missing to come out with a victory,” he began saying.
However, Raphinha made it clear that although the team may not have played their best football, the most important thing was the result, and they achieved just that.
“We were good, I wouldn’t say we played our best game but the most important thing was to win and we did it.”
Assessing his performance
In his post-match comments to Movistar LaLiga, Raphinha expressed confidence in his current form but also made it clear that he does not intend to rest on his laurels.
He feels at his peak but is determined to continue improving. His passion for the club was evident as he pledged to give his all for Barcelona.
“I can say that I am at my best, but I don’t want to stop here. I have a huge affection for this club and I will do everything I can,” he noted.
Praise for Frenkie de Jong
Raphinha praised Frenkie de Jong. (Photo by Rafa Babot/Getty Images)
Raphinha also took the opportunity to praise his teammate Frenkie de Jong for his outstanding performance. He spoke highly of the midfielder’s work ethic, calling him one of the team’s key figures and a leader in the dressing room.
Raphinha made sure to highlight the affection the squad has for De Jong, noting how important he is to their success and how pleased everyone is to see him perform at such a high level.
“Frenkie helps us a lot, he works really hard, he is one of our captains and we have a lot of affection for him and I’m sure everyone in the dressing room is very happy for him.”
Mallorca’s controversial goal
The match had its share of controversy, particularly surrounding Mallorca’s equalizing goal at 1-1, which was disputed for a possible offside.
Raphinha shared his thoughts on the decision, explaining that he felt the attempt by Samu Costa to interfere with the play might have confused goalkeeper Inaki Pena.
“I think that Samu’s attempt to participate could have deceived Inaki,” he said.
Despite the debate, he respected the referee’s decision, which was that the play was not offside because someone else had finished it.
Raphinha emphasized that the team needed to quickly refocus after the decision and get back into the game, which they did successfully with their impressive victory.
“The referee explained to me that since someone else had finished the play, it’s not offside, it’s his decision and I respect it, we had to get back into the game quickly,” he concluded.
Source: Mundo Deportivo