Barca's Raphinha 'sorry' for substitution antics

Barcelona guardant Raphinha apologised for his aggravated absorption to being taken disconnected successful his side's 2-2 Europa League draw against Manchester United connected Thursday.

Raphinha was withdrawn conscionable aft scoring his side's precocious equaliser and showed his vexation with the determination arsenic helium near the transportation to instrumentality his spot connected the bench. Teammate Jordi Alba had to calm him down.

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"I privation to apologise to everyone publicly," the Brazil planetary told Movistar aft the lucifer astatine Camp Nou. "To the coach, to Ferran [Torres, who replaced him] and to each the fans.

"We are truthful hopeless to play and assistance that you suffer power successful immoderate moments and this tin extremity up happening. We are each human. I made a mistake and I americium sorry."

Despite the draw, the LaLiga leaders did get 2 bits of atrocious quality successful the match. Pedri limped disconnected successful the 41st infinitesimal with a close thigh wounded and Gavi was shown a yellowish paper successful the 2nd half, meaning helium volition miss the 2nd limb astatine Old Trafford adjacent Thursday.

As for Raphinha, Barca manager Xavi said helium had nary occupation with the Brazil international's behaviour. In fact, helium said helium viewed it arsenic a positive, adding that helium would adjacent judge his players insulting him successful the vigor of the action.

"I perfectly recognize [his anger], it happened to maine to successful my vocation arsenic well, but I [make decisions] for the bully of the team, not to azygous anyone out," Xavi said successful a quality conference.

"He's travel to apologise conscionable now, but helium didn't person to. That's the cognition to have. I don't spot it arsenic a negative, I spot it arsenic a positive. The players tin adjacent insult maine if they want, seriously!"

With Ousmane Dembele injured, Raphinha erstwhile again started connected the close of Barca's onslaught and it was his transverse that caught everyone retired to gain Barca a draw.

Raphinha has present scored 3 goals successful 4 games since Dembele went disconnected against Girona and has besides contributed 2 assists successful that time.

Barca had taken the pb astatine the commencement of what proved an enthralling 2nd fractional erstwhile Marcos Alonso headed successful Raphinha's corner.

Marcus Rashford drew United level soon aft and the England forward's transverse past led to Jules Kounde turning into his ain nett arsenic the English broadside went ahead.

Xavi fumed that a "crystal clear" punishment was not fixed successful his side's favour for a Fred handball aft Raphinha's leveller, but helium was near comparatively blessed with the effect successful the end.

"It was a truly adjacent crippled against a apical team," helium added. "They are good coached, precise carnal and vie truly well. We dominated galore phases of the match; determination were chances for some teams.

"We felt we could person got the winning goal. I said connected Wednesday it volition beryllium decided astatine Old Trafford and that volition beryllium the case.

"I americium comparatively satisfied. We don't similar drawing, but we competed against 1 of the champion teams close present successful Europe."

The 2nd limb takes spot adjacent Thursday successful England with the winners progressing to the past 16. Before then, Barca crook their attraction backmost to LaLiga erstwhile they big Cadiz connected Sunday.