Barcelona forward, Raphinha has provided an explanation to what led to brawl inside the tunnel following his side’s emphatic comeback win against Benfica in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday night.
The Brazilian scored in the 96th minute to assist the Catalan team win 5-4 at the end of the game, after Hansi Flick’s team had fallen 3-1 and 4-2 during the evening.
Following the full-time whistle, there was a reported altercation between the two teams, with police reportedly becoming involved. Raphinha then gave a live, on-air explanation of what had transpired and the reasons behind the intense exchange between the two squads.
Benfica manager Bruno Lage gave his team a dressing down on the field when they collapsed, which increased tension after the game. Similar events persisted, and when the two teams collided, things got more heated.
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Police specifically escorted Raphinha away from the incident and blocked access to the Barcelona dressing room, allegedly because he was at the center of the altercation.
In an interview with CBS Sports after the event, Raphinha was questioned about what caused it. The 28-year-old said, as reported by GiveMeSport: “I’m someone who respects everyone.
“When I was leaving the pitch, people were insulting me. I returned the insults. I know I shouldn’t. It got heated with the Benfica players…they preferred to insult me.
“I’m someone who doesn’t let anything lie. I respect them if they respect me, but I don’t shut up if they insult me. It’s normal after an ending like that to a match.”
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