New Delhi: Barcelona’s closing-minute hero, Raphinha claimed that Benfica insults had led to a brawl in the tunnel after the Brazilian had managed to score in the stoppage-time to help Barcelona take a 5-4 win against the Portuguese team at the Estadio da Luz on matchday seven of Champions League. Raphinha scored the deciding goal in the 96th minute in a game that for the most part Benfica were leading 3-1 at one point.
The display had led Benfica coach Bruno Lage to an on-field outrage upon his players. Even when the players headed down the tunnel, the ruckus continued with Raphinha at the centre while the two teams clashed. Raphinha had previously played for Benfica rival Sporting CP and later reacted to the whole drama by saying he personally “respected” everyone.
The 31-year-old noted that as he was leaving the pitch, he had been “insulted” and he responded with an insult as well. He further said that the altercation had become heated but felt such incidents happen often after the game. Raphinha maintained that he retorted only after instigation.
🚨⚠️ Raphinha: “They insulted me at the end of the match, I insulted them back”.
“If they respect me, I respect them. In my opinion they could have understood the situation, but they preferred to insult me”. pic.twitter.com/rw2kHLMhOE
— Fabrizio Romano (@FabrizioRomano) January 21, 2025
The game was itself no less nail-biting with Raphinha claiming that he was in the best form of his life after scoring a brace in the game, with Barca taking six consecutive wins in the Champions League and qualifying for the round of 16 stage. Raphinha has scored eight goals this season in Europe with only his teammate Robert Lewandowski’s nine standing ahead of him. Across competition, the Brazil international this season has scored 22 goals, his best-ever performance.
Benfica giving away an early lead
Barca had earlier in the game were in a difficult situation after Vangelis Pavlidis scored a hat-trick in the first half itself, with the scoresheet reading 3-1 at halftime. The Greek striker had broken the deadlock in the second minute of the game but Lewandowski had managed to cancel that lead with his 12th-minute penalty strike.
However, Pavlidis was in an incredible touch, scoring his third goal of the game in half an hour. His second goal was a simple roll into the empty net with Wojciech Szczesny making a blunder of rushing towards the ball.
His hattrick goal was a penalty after Szczesny had fouled Kerem Akturkoglu. Even Hani Flick was relieved after the game and pointed out that they hadn’t defended well. While they were slowly climbing back in the game, a second goalkeeping error had pushed them back to a two-goal deficit and it was in the 86th minute that Barcelona managed to level with Eric Garcia’s strike before Raphinha took home the three points for his side in a rain-drenched Libson city.
The win means they don’t have to play the two extra games in February where teams finish between ninth and 24th in a two-legged knockout fixture which will decide the other teams of the competition.
Barcelona’s hero Raphinha has said that Benfica had hurled insults at him after the Brazilian had managed to secure a win in the closing minutes of the stoppage-time. Football Sports News: Latest Cricket News, Cricket Live Score, Sports Breaking News from Sports Today
