Raphinha played a big role in Barcelona’s 1-0 win against Las Palmas in the Spanish league on Saturday.
He helped reduce Las Palmas to 10 players after their goalkeeper got a red card for a foul on him in the 24th minute. Later, in the 59th minute, Raphinha scored with a header from a pass by substitute João Félix.
Raphinha emphasized the importance of the win for Barcelona’s chances of catching up to Real Madrid, who are leading the league.
With this win, Barcelona, currently in second place, closed the gap to five points behind Real Madrid. They have a crucial match against Athletic Bilbao coming up.
Coach Xavi Hernández, serving a two-game suspension, watched from the stands. He mentioned that since announcing his decision to leave next season, the team’s performance has improved, especially in defense.
Xavi hopes this improvement continues, and Raphinha mentioned that the players have been discussing strategies to secure victories.
Barcelona will have some time to prepare for their upcoming match against Paris Saint-Germain, as the league takes a break next weekend for the Copa del Rey final. Additionally, Ferran Torres made his comeback as a substitute after recovering from a thigh injury.
