Serie A
Barcelona's Raphinha struck by the death of De Miguel Poteva
While Barcelona celebrates the 3‑0 victory over Aston Villa in the Champions League, the death of Jesús De Miguel, Tenerife defender, has deeply shaken the international football world and has brought a sense of loss among the players.
The Brazilian Raphinha admitted that he struggled to focus on the match after learning the news, saying: “For me, honestly, it was very difficult.”
Raphinha was particularly disturbed by the awareness that a similar incident could happen on any football pitch. He explained: “In the end, he is a colleague, and this can happen to anyone. It could happen to me as well, or to any player who steps onto the field today,” highlighting the risks of the profession.
Raphinha sets aside brace to mourn Jesús de Miguel
The player also emphasized the age proximity with De Miguel, stating that both are the same age, which made the news even more painful. “He was a player of my age, so I don’t know if that’s why I felt more affected, but today I didn’t have a good day because of the news,” he said.
His words testify to the strong emotional impact of the tragedy on Barcelona’s forward, capable of setting aside the sporting result for a moment to remember a colleague who tragically passed away. This remembrance has shown how football, while celebrating successes, remains vulnerable to personal tragedies.