FC Barcelona’s unexpected defeat to UD Las Palmas in Matchday 15 of the 2024-25 La Liga season left both fans and players stunned. After one of the biggest setbacks of the season, Raphinha delivered a pointed message regarding Las Palmas’ time-wasting tactics.

Saturday’s match ended on a bitter note for the Brazilian, who, despite scoring yet another goal, was visibly frustrated by the team’s inability to secure all three points. After the game, Raphinha didn’t hold back in addressing the second-half time-wasting from Las Palmas.

“I don’t want to talk because they could use it against me and punish me. But in the second half, only 30 minutes were actually played instead of the 45 minutes required. They know what they’re doing better than I do,” Raphinha said when asked about the matter to TV3.

The game was also marred by controversial referee decisions, with several Barcelona players arguing that a penalty should have been awarded for a foul on Pau Cubarsi. Despite the frustration with officiating, Raphinha acknowledged that his team needs to improve and quickly.

“We’ve been doing poorly. We’re lowering the level of what we were doing. There are many things we are doing wrong. We have to turn things around on Tuesday. I’m angry, I don’t care much about my goal…,” finished the Brazilian.

Barcelona continues to lead La Liga with 34 points after 15 games, but their recent form has raised concerns. The team has earned just 1 point from their last 9, showing a clear decline in performance. As a result, their lead over their nearest rivals has narrowed significantly. Atletico Madrid now sits just two points behind in second place with 32 points, while Real Madrid, with 30 points and two games in hand, is only a few steps behind.

Raphinha breakthrough season

Raphinha’s frustration mirrors that of coach Hansi Flick, who pointed to “disconnected” players as a key reason for the team’s recent downturn. Despite the collective struggles, Raphinha has been a bright spot for Barcelona in what is shaping up to be a breakthrough season for the Brazilian winger.

With less than half of the season gone, Raphinha has already surpassed his total goal contributions from last season. The 27-year-old has played in 20 matches across La Liga and the UEFA Champions League, scoring 14 goals and providing 10 assists, totaling 24 goal contributions. In comparison, during the entire 2023-24 season, he registered 10 goals and 13 assists in 37 appearances. If he continues at this pace, Raphinha could very well double his output from last year.