According to Mundo Deportivo, after the lights went out at Camp Nou and all the fans had left, Rafinha walked onto the pitch with his son Gael. The little boy dribbled the ball down the sideline and scored, after which the father and son performed Rafinha's celebration together. Rafinha had recently performed the same celebration in this very area when he scored a penalty he had won himself.
The Brazilian player explained his captaincy in his pre-match speech and throughout the first 45 minutes of the game. Picking up the microphone, he offered his support to Rooney Baldegui and congratulated the world champions. Speaking about the injured player, he demonstrated his captaincy. "Rooney is one of us. We always have to take care of our own people," he said.
Next, he welcomed the new signings and said something that perfectly encapsulates his view and understanding of football: "Wearing this jersey and this badge is a great responsibility, but it's also one of the best experiences of my life." He told the new players.
His passion in his speech carried over to the pitch. Rafinha proved he was ahead of most of his teammates, many of whom still felt the strain of the August training in their legs. Typically, players reach their peak physical condition after the first few rounds of the league. However, Rafinha seemed as energetic as ever.
On the left flank, the captain tirelessly made forward runs. He diligently provided passes to Hamza Abdulkarim, attempted long-range shots, contributed to the first goal, and then scored the second. He anticipated the center-back's miscontrol and won the penalty. Stepping into the penalty spot, he didn't miss. In fact, as a Barcelona player, he has never missed a penalty. The principle that supports his record is never to kick the same penalty twice in a row to the same side.
After missing crucial stages of the season, such as the Champions League quarter-final against Atletico Madrid and Brazil's World Cup defeat to Norway, he has returned to Barcelona training in Birmingham. He will captain the team this season, with no other major commitments besides matches with Barcelona. "Only by uniting can we compete for all possible titles," he emphasized.
