Barcelona squeezed Atletico Madrid in the semi-final of Copa del Rey on Wednesday evening, with a single goal by Ferran Torres and secured their place in the final. It brings an end of four hard -fought meetings between the two parties this season, where both teams show a lot of mutual respect for each other.
Atletico manager Diego Simeone has called Barcelona the best side with which they confronted this season, while Hansi Flick stated second stage for the semi-final that he loved the playing style of Atletico. That mutual respect could also be seen after the game, while the Brazilian winger Raphinha waited after the game behind the tunnel to exchange shirts with Atletico star Rodrigo de Paul.
The story between the two goes back until last week, when Raphinha was on the losing side. After a few fire courses before Brazil was confronted with Argentina in Buenos Aires, Raphinha passed a grim 4-1 defeat and the object of Argentinian was taunted all games. After the game, some took the chance to respond to Raphinha.
However, the Paul was not one of them, with the following to say to the press after the game.
“It's fine. It stays there, on the field. We never respect anyone. And yet we have not been respected over the years. We have been the best team of all time for five or six years. Let them respect us,” he said MD.
Many were surprised about Raphinha's comments before the game, but the Brazilian has never been shy to show his emotions or to give his opinion. This season he has become a leader for the Blaugrana, and one of their most vocal players, who often takes the bracelet in the absence of Marc-Andre Ter Stegen, Ronald Araujo and Frenkie de Jong due to injuries. Raphinha had been absent in the last two games of Barcelona with muscle discomfort, but played the full 90 minutes against Atletico.
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