Raphinha comforts emotional Hansi Flick after Barcelona's victory on Sunday.
Barca temporarily topped LaLiga with a 3-1 win over Alaves at the newly reopened Nou Camp. The home side conceded a goal within the first 60 seconds, but goals from Lamine Yamal and a brace from Dani Olmo secured the three points.
However, Barca boss Flick had a strange reaction on the bench after the game. He appeared emotional, with Raphinha consoling his manager with a few words. When asked about Raphinha's comments in the post-match interview, Flick admitted, "After the end of the match, Raphinha was telling me the same thing I said last time: We will improve. We will be much better in the upcoming matches."
Raphinha, who started his first match since September, provided an assist for Olmo's first goal and was pivotal in his return to the team. Flick praised Raphinha's performance, saying, "Raphinha is a player who gives us dynamism in our play. We've missed him, and for me, he's important because he brings a lot of intensity. When he starts pressing, everyone is ready to join in. It's very important that he's back, and he'll be important in the upcoming matches."
Flick also acknowledged the need for improvement, despite being happy with the three points. He said, "I'm happy we won the three points, but we have to improve many things. Among other things, we had chances but didn't finish them. And that's what we need to improve."
Raphinha also spoke to the media after the match, expressing his desire to push his teammates to their full potential. He said, "Sometimes I feel like I'm annoying for my teammates, but I feel it's important. I demand more from players that I know that are capable. If there has to be someone annoying in the dressing room, I don't mind if it's me."
Barca top of LaLiga
Barcelona bounced back from their defeat to Chelsea in the Champions League with the win over Alaves, putting them top of LaLiga, two points ahead of Real Madrid, who have a game in hand. Madrid have the chance to go back top when they face Girona on Sunday. Barca's next match is against Atletico Madrid on Tuesday.
