Barcelona twice threatened to take control in Paris, with Xavi Espart scoring on his Champions League debut and Lamine Yamal also finding the net. However, PSG’s attacking quality proved decisive as the French side claimed the victory.
Raphinha acknowledged the disappointment but said Barcelona had been competitive against the reigning European champions.
“We knew this could happen. We were playing against the two-time European champions, in front of their own fans. They are very strong,” he said. “Obviously, we wanted to leave with a win or a point, but it’s okay. These things happen at some point. We’ve only lost three points.”
The Brazilian captain said the team would review the match with Hansi Flick and work on the areas that needed improvement before turning their attention to Madrid.
Despite the scoreline, Raphinha believed the performance offered encouragement, particularly given the quality of the opposition and the similarities between the two sides’ approach to possession football.
“They are a very well-coached team. Despite today’s result, I think we competed well,” he said. “They are two teams who like to play, who want to have the ball and possession. I think it was a good test, and it shows that we can compete.”
Barcelona’s defeat also came with a concern over Dani Olmo, who suffered a knock during the match. Raphinha said he did not know the extent of the midfielder’s problem but was satisfied with his own physical condition after returning to action.
“I’ve had less than a week of training, and it was planned that I would play a few minutes,” he said. “I finished the match feeling good and strong, and now I’ll try to be in better physical condition for the Clásico.”
The forward was adamant that the result in Paris would not carry over into Sunday’s meeting with Real Madrid.
“This doesn’t affect the Clásico at all,” he said.
Barcelona will need to recover quickly after the demanding European fixture, with Flick also facing decisions over his defensive line following injuries to Eric García and Jules Koundé.
Raphinha’s message was one of perspective rather than alarm. The defeat cost Barcelona three points in the Champions League league phase, but he believes the performance against PSG showed they can challenge elite opponents — provided they learn from the mistakes that proved costly in Paris.