Barcelona star Raphinha refused to discuss his exclusion from the 30-man shortlist for the 2026 Ballon d'Or, choosing instead to hail his side's emphatic Champions League win over Feyenoord.
The Catalans launched their league-phase campaign with a comprehensive 5-1 victory on Wednesday evening at the Spotify Camp Nou.
Raphinha grabbed two of Barça's five goals, proof of the sparkling form he has carried since the season began.
A start that gives Barcelona confidence
Speaking after the match, in comments picked up by "Marca", the Brazilian said: "I think that when we play in front of our fans, we have to produce perfect football. The support of the fans makes everything easier. Starting this way gives us a lot of confidence."
He added: "The season is very long, and it goes through many ups and downs. Starting this way gives us great confidence. Our idea is to continue in this manner, to minimise the periods of decline, and to keep producing good matches."
Asked about his goals for Barcelona, the winger kept it brief: "I am working for that."
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What did Raphinha say to Lamal?
The forward also revealed his exchange with Lamine Yamal during the game: "I already know him, and I know when he drifts a little out of the flow of the match, so I tried to encourage him and told him he would score."
He added: "And indeed he managed to score, and he needed that. The most important thing is to be happy for your teammate. I have been through many matches in which I did not score, but if I know I put in a good performance, I come out of it happy."
His stance on the Ballon d'Or
On his omission from the Ballon d'Or race, Raphinha would say nothing, stressing only his focus on the team: "I don't talk about that, I only talk about Barcelona."