Barcelona striker Raphinha is having a great season, and in all likelihood his best season to date. Against Benfica, as the Blaugrana took victory in the Champions League, he was the center of attention both on and off the pitch.
The Brazilian hit an unlikely brace, with his first goal inadvertently going off his head into the net after a pass from Benfica goalkeeper Anatoli Trubin. The second was all to his credit as he raced behind the defense in the 96th minute before cutting inside and firing past the Ukrainian goalkeeper.
Still, Raphinha was awarded the Player of the Match award by UEFA, but it took some time before he appeared in front of the media. Barcelona gave away a soft penalty in the first half, but conceded one themselves for a light touch on Lamine Yamal and avoided a penalty in the same action in which Raphinha scores. He was asked if he preferred UEFA referees to those in La Liga, to which he had an eyebrow-raising response.
“If I say what I think, they might not let me play in La Liga anymore,” he told Cadena SER.
The context comes from last weekend, when Barcelona were denied what they thought was a clear penalty against Jules Kounde late in the 1-1 draw against Getafe. The referee was not called to the monitor by the VAR, which led to outrage among the Blaugrana.
Manager Hansi Flick has done his best to avoid controversy this season, but clearly didn't even think it was debatable based on his statements before the match against Benfica. Barcelona president Joan Laporta was much harsher in his assessment of the decision, in what he sees as an ongoing problem in Spanish football. Almost without exception, every team in La Liga feels victimized by this season's performance.
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