Barcelona are set to take on SL Benfica later tonight, with the Catalans looking to defend a slender 1-0 lead at home.
In the lead-up to the encounter, Barcelona officials led by Joan Laporta and vice-president Rafa Yuste hosted Benfica representatives in a luxury hotel in Barcelona, as is the custom.
In the wake of the meeting, both Laporta and Yuste were notably asked about the atmosphere in the Barcelona dressing room following the demise of first-team doctor Carles Minarro.
Laporta and Yuste on the dressing room atmosphere
Laporta, who had already given a long and emotional tribute to Minarro on the night of his tragic death, appeared quiet and composed.
**“Getting better, getting better,**” he replied (h/t Mundo Deportivo) in a low tone when asked about the atmosphere in the Barcelona dressing room.
Rafa Yuste, meanwhile, did speak to the media at length, notably giving an emotional tribute to Minarro.
Rafa Yuste believes team spirit at Barcelona is quite high (Photo by PAU BARRENA/AFP via Getty Images)
“It’s a difficult time, but the group was already strong. Carles left us the other day and it’s even stronger. He’s a very dear person and the players feel that he’s theirs,” said Yuste.
“That piece of Carles that has left us will be with us today. I’m convinced that he will help us,” he added.
The Barcelona vice-president admitted that Minarro’s death felt like losing a teammate. “The feeling is that of losing a teammate, because more than a doctor he was a teammate for everyone,” he added.
Finally, Yuste sent a message to Minarro’s friends and family, sending support and consolation.
“Along with his discretion and his generosity, he was a very dear person for the whole of Barcelona. From here I send again a big hug to his wife, his two children, his mother and all his family,’ said Yuste, before adding that “the team is very strong.”
It will be interesting to see if Barcelona can utilise the said spirit to secure a victory against Benfica tonight.