Barcelona captain Raphinha has dedicated the club’s 3-0 Champions League victory over Aston Villa to the late Tenerife striker Jesus de Miguel, insisting that football was the last thing on his mind following the tragedy.

The Brazilian scored twice as Hansi Flick’s side secured an impressive victory over the Premier League club on Tuesday night.

However, despite being named Man of the Match, Raphinha was in no mood to celebrate his performance, having been deeply affected by the death of De Miguel.

The 30-year-old Tenerife forward passed away on Tuesday after suffering serious injuries following a collision with Andorra goalkeeper Jesus Owono during a Spanish second-division encounter.

According to Barca Universal, Raphinha explained his subdued celebrations after the match, choosing instead to express his sympathy to the deceased player’s family.

Raphinha Sympathises With De Miguel’s Family

“It’s not a good day to talk about football. I dedicate this victory to the fans, but I want to send my deepest condolences to Jesus de Miguel’s family on behalf of the club.

“May he rest in peace,” Raphinha said.

The Barcelona captain admitted that the incident had left him and his teammates shaken, particularly because such a tragedy could happen to any footballer.

“It could have happened to anyone. It’s very hard. It could happen to us too. When we saw it, we were all shocked,” he added.

When asked to offer further thoughts on Barcelona’s performance against Villa, Raphinha declined, maintaining that the circumstances made it difficult to discuss football.

“I’d rather leave it at that.”

Meanwhile, Barcelona midfielder Frenkie de Jong was asked about the possibility of postponing the next round of La Liga fixtures following De Miguel’s death.

The Association of Spanish Footballers (AFE) has reportedly requested a suspension of the upcoming matches as a mark of respect for the deceased striker.

However, De Jong maintained that the decision was beyond his control.

“I would understand if it were suspended, and I would also understand if the next matchday went ahead, but it’s not up to me to decide,” he concluded.