Raphinha has publicly apologised following a tense post-match moment involving Atlético Madrid supporters during a UEFA Champions League quarter-final encounter.
The FC Barcelona winger, who missed the match due to injury, was seen making a controversial gesture toward the home fans after the final whistle in Madrid. This came after Barcelona secured a 2–1 victory on the night, which was not enough to overturn the aggregate score, as Atlético advanced to the semi-finals.
Taking to social media, Raphinha expressed regret over his actions:
“I apologise for my gesture, which does not correspond to my values or my character. It was an act committed in a moment of tension, in response to a fan who was disrespecting me.”
The gesture, which appeared to suggest Atlético would be knocked out in the next round, quickly drew criticism online after videos of the incident spread.
Beyond the incident, the Brazilian forward also voiced strong dissatisfaction with the officiating. Speaking after the match, he said:
“This match was a robbery. Atletico committed I don’t know how many fouls, and the referee did not show a single yellow card.”
He added:
“It’s human to commit one error, but for it to happen again in another game? We played really well, but this tie was robbed from us. It was tough, especially when we see that we needed to put in three times the effort to win the match.”
Raphinha further questioned what he believes is a recurring trend in refereeing decisions affecting Barcelona:
“I was really looking forward to understanding this fear among the referees that Barcelona would reach victory.”
His remarks have sparked discussions about potential disciplinary action from UEFA, which has previously penalised players for publicly criticising match officials.