Raphinha: "We did what we had to, lower lines to defend"

In the same way that happened at the Bernabéu, Barça once again appealed to the defense to get the three points with a lot of suffering against Valencia (1-0), who enjoyed numerical superiority for more than half an hour due to the expulsion of Ronald Araujo.

Thomas Osborne
Thomas Osborne
05 March 2023 Sunday 11:27
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Raphinha: "We did what we had to, lower lines to defend"

In the same way that happened at the Bernabéu, Barça once again appealed to the defense to get the three points with a lot of suffering against Valencia (1-0), who enjoyed numerical superiority for more than half an hour due to the expulsion of Ronald Araujo. The Catalans knew how to keep the only goal of the game, the work of a Raphinha who praised the resistance of the inferior team.

"It has been a difficult game, especially after the red card, but the important thing is the three points. It is what matters for the season," the Brazilian explained to Movistar, who did not see "a disconnection" from the team in a second half where the blaugrana barely created any danger and ended the game by asking the referee, Alberola Rojas, for the time.

"It's difficult to play with one less man. We did what we had to, we lowered the lines to defend," added Raphinha, who was affectionate with Ansu Fati when Guillamón's penalty was denied. Finally Ferran Torres sent the shot off from eleven meters.

"Before the game we said who was going to take penalties. I understand it, they want to score. Sometimes the players give up penalties and other times they don't. This happens in the teams, Ansu has understood it", he explained about this set of the game in the minute 53.

Raphinha's goal was very similar to the one in victory against Osasuna at El Sadar, where he also split between the wing and center to head a long ball into the net. "I like to make that play, I understand what the goalkeeper is going to do. I'm happy but I want more," concluded the winger, who is already the team's second top scorer with 8 goals.

"It was a pity because if we scored the penalty and there was no expulsion we could have had a calmer game. These are the circumstances of the game. Leagues are won by getting the three points in these games. Madrid plays tonight but we have to continue thinking about us. We have to be positive, assess where we are. The next game is against Athletic and now we have a week to rest", analyzed Sergi Roberto, who also gave importance to defense: "We are defending very well. We defend as a team and it's one of the keys to why we're leaders."

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