Barcelona running ‘for everything’, says Raphinha

Raphinha, who netted a brace in Barcelona’s 3-1 victory over Benfica, dedicated Wednesday’s win to the late club doctor Carles Minarro and affirmed that his team is a contender “for everything” this season.

The Brazilian forward played a key role in securing Barcelona’s place in the Champions League quarter-finals and highlighted the team’s focus and determination. “We knew Benfica would come out strong, and we understood what we needed to do to win. We stayed focused, had the first-leg result in our favour, and managed to put in a solid first half,” he told Movistar.

Asked about his impressive record of five goals in three games against Benfica this season, Raphinha downplayed his individual achievements, stating that “the team’s success is what matters,” though he admitted he was “very happy with the win.”

He also praised his teammate Lamine Yamal, who registered a goal and an assist, calling him “a spectacular player with incredible quality.”

Finally, Raphinha dedicated the victory to Carles Minarro, the club’s doctor who passed away on Saturday. “What happened in the past few days gave us extra motivation to come into the match with even more desire to win,” he said.