Raphinha was the first to speak out after the defeat to PSG, standing up for his team and defending their performance against the reigning European champions despite losing 4-2.
Asked about the match, the Barcelona captain acknowledged how difficult the challenge had been: “We knew this could happen. We’re up against the two-time European champions, and they’re a very strong team, especially in front of their own fans.”
He admitted that the team were disappointed not to take anything from the game but played down the significance of the defeat: “We wanted to come away with a win or at least a point, but it’s not the end of the world. These things happen when they’re meant to happen, and in the end, we’ve only lost three points.”
Raphinha has already turned his attention to the next challenge: “We’ll see what the manager tells us we need to improve so we can go into El Clásico in good shape.”
Despite the result, he was positive about the team’s performance: “This is a very well-coached team. Despite today’s result, we competed well. Both teams like to play with the ball, and we had possession. It was a good test, and it shows that we can compete at this level. Results like this can happen, but I think we played well.”
Speaking about his own situation, Raphinha explained that his limited playing time had been planned: “I’ve had less than a week of training, so the plan was always for me to play fewer minutes.”
He also gave a positive update on his fitness: “I finished the match feeling good and strong, and I’m trying to keep improving my physical condition.”
Finally, when asked about his teammate Dani, Raphinha remained cautious: “I don’t know what happened with Dani. We’ll speak to the manager and the doctor to find out what happened.”
And when asked whether the defeat could have any impact on El Clásico, he gave a firm response: “It won’t affect it at all.”