RAPHINHA admits he struggled to play in Barcelona’s Champions League clash against Aston Villa after learning of Jesus de Miguel’s tragic death.

De Miguel passed away on Tuesday, the day after he suffered a cardiac arrest in CD Tenerife’s Segunda Division match with FC Andorra.

The football world is in collective mourning for the late De Miguel, with mid-week domestic matches in Spain being postponed.

Barca’s match with Villa, however, went ahead, and a minute’s silence was held at the Nou Camp in honour of the late De Miguel, who went into cardiac arrest following a nasty collision with FC Andorra keeper Jesus Owono.

Raphinha shone in the 3-0 victory, in which he scored twice, but admits he was rocked by De Miguel’s passing.

After the game, he told CBS Sports: “Wherever [De Miguel] is, I hope he finds his way.

“I want to send his family strength … and today, not talk about football.

“After I saw the news, I didn’t feel good. In the end, he was a fellow football player.

“This could have happened to any of us. It could have happened to me.

“It’s very difficult to go out and play a game in these circumstances.

“He was a player who was the same age as me. Maybe that’s why it affected me so much.”

Barca boss Hansi Flick noticed the effect De Miguel’s death had on the Brazilian.

He said: “What happened in Tenerife, I think it affected him a lot, like everyone of us.”

“Our deepest condolences to the family, the club, the friends, everyone … it’s a big tragedy.

“I think it’s affected him a lot.”

Spanish police are probing the response of the emergency medical team, who managed to revive an unconscious De Miguel, to the tragic incident.

They’re also weighing up the possibility that Owono’s tackle could have been involuntary manslaughter.