jugadores fc barcelona v benfica

RAPHINHA, THE PROTAGONIST OF THE BRAWL

Chaos at the end of Benfica-Barça: Insults, brawl, and police intervention!

Published:22/01/2025 - 01:49h

Updated:22/01/2025 - 01:49h

The players of Benfica and FC Barcelona were involved in a brawl heading to the locker rooms after the wild match in Lisbon (4-5). Raphinha explained what happened during a scuffle that required the intervention of the police at Da Luz.

Calendar of FC Barcelona

The historic comeback of FC Barcelona against Benfica (4-5) unleashed the fury of part of the Portuguese team's squad after the winning goal scored by Raphinha in the 90+6 minute. Both teams caused chaos on their way to the locker rooms, with a brawl that required police intervention inside the Da Luz stadium to separate the players. Fortunately, things did not escalate further, and Raphinha, the protagonist of the scuffle, explained what happened to 'Movistar+'.

"When I left the field, there were people who insulted me; I returned the insults, and in the end, we all got heated," began the Brazilian, who also downplayed the incident, stating that it was a normal reaction. "The Benfica side could have held back. If they respect me, I respect them. It’s normal in football after a finish like this," pointed out the Barça '11'.

Benfica claimed a penalty for Fermín before Raphinha's goal

The Benfica's frustration stemmed from the action leading up to Raphinha's second goal. Fermín López ended up clearing a ball inside the area in a very chaotic play in which the locals claimed a penalty for the Barça midfielder on Florentino. Additionally, both the fans and the Lisbon bench took offense at the wild celebration of the entire Barça squad after the winning goal.

The referee Danny Makkelie waited for VAR confirmation, and ultimately, the Catalan goal was validated. After the match, Benfica's coach, Bruno Lage, criticized the match officials for the play that defined the match. "I think it’s a tremendous mistake by the referee. I’m not speaking for myself or the fans; all the national media are saying it...; the referee must have a similar criterion for penalties. If he called the others... he must call this one," assured the Portuguese.