It seems that Raphinha's stint in Barcelona is destined to be one of constant ups and downs. Just when his performance has finally exploded, the extra-sporting ghosts begin to haunt the team again. Yesterday's Clasico at Montjuïc ended 4-3 in favour of Futbol Club Barcelona, with Hansi Flick's team making another comeback, and Raphinha was the star of the show with a brace and his usual physical display.
What surprised many, though, was not his two goals, but the way he celebrated them. Apart from his usual jump and fist to the sky, and the celebration by pointing to the camera for his young son, we saw him point to his usual bandage on his right hand. It seemed like an anecdotal gesture, but it has a meaning
Raphinha's reason for pointing to the bandage
A few weeks ago, former Real Madrid doctor Niko Mihic pointed out what has become a common practice of many Barcelona players, bandaging the wrist of one of their hands. Mihic dropped a possible case of doping. "Any doctor knows that, if you want to have easier venous access, it's in the hands and wrists," he said. Barça player Pau Víctor responded to the statements with laughing emojis, pointing out that the player has been bandaging his hand since his days at CE Sabadell.
These statements set social media alight, with thousands of comments jumping on the conspiracy. Barcelona players continued to wear them without fear and this weekend we saw how attentive they are to their social environment. Some players wear them for medical reasons or to improve their grip on the ball, others for aesthetics, even for personal superstitions.
We saw in the final of the Copa del Rey how Lamine Yamal started the game with a bandage on and took it off when the game was on, and both games ended the same way for Barcelona.