Several FC Barcelona players were on national duty in the recently concluded international break. The forwards, Raphinha, Ferran Torres, Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal, and Felix all impressed in their national team matches in this break.
Of these players, Raphinha had to return with the most fatigue as in addition to playing 175 highly demanding minutes for his national team, he also had to travel a lot to join the national team camp in Brazil, and then return to Barcelona for club duties.
Raphinha on the game and his goal:
However, all this fatigue could not keep Raphinha from making an appearance for Barcelona in last night’s match and scoring his first goal of the season for the Catalan club.
The Brazilian also spoke to the media after the match, and the main components of this media talk have been reported by Mundo Deportivo. About the resounding victory that Barcelona had last night, Raphinha said:
“I’m happy for the victory to keep our confidence high. We had a great collective performance and individually as well. For forwards, it’s important to score goals, so I’m happy that we all could score.”
The Brazilian scored a spectacular goal from outside the box last night. His technique to shoot the ball for this goal was also one of the topics that came up as he spoke to the media:
“I’ve tried this shot a lot. I’ve been criticized for shooting like this because it doesn’t always work, but I always hope to have the opportunity to try it and see if it works.”
International duties and competition for forward spots:
Raphinha also commented on how international duties in the middle of the season impact players, especially those who represent South American sides:
“The wear and tear are very significant. We have very long trips, and it doesn’t benefit us. Midweek, I played in Peru, and then at the end of the week on the other side of the world. We run the risk of getting injured, so I try to rest well to arrive in the best possible shape.”
Lastly, Raphinha also opined on the cutthroat competition for forward positions at Barcelona:
“It’s always good to have competition; it shows that there’s a high level at the club. It’s always important for improvement, especially at Barcelona, which is one of the best teams in the world.”
While this competition is definitely good for the team, it might not be the best for Raphinha as he may find minutes harder to come by this season. However, if he can keep contributing to the scoresheet regularly, Xavi may find it difficult to keep him out of the starting eleven for long.
