Raphinha’s heartbreaking reaction after Jesús de Miguel’s tragic death shows football’s human side
After leading Barcelona to a Champions League win, Raphinha put football aside to deliver a heartbreaking tribute to Jesús de Miguel.
Football took a back seat for Raphinha . The Barcelona forward, who scored a brace in the Blaugrana’s 3-0 Champions League victory over Aston Villa , set aside his strong performance to send a message of support following the sad news of the death of Jesús de Miguel , a Tenerife player, at the age of 30.
Emotional message following mourning in the soccer world
“Today is not a good day to talk about football,” the Brazilian said after the match. Raphinha explained that, beyond the result, his thoughts were with the family and loved ones of the deceased footballer.
“I wouldn’t like to talk about football. I want to dedicate the victory to the fans, but above all send a lot of strength to Jesús’s family. Rest in peace,” the Barcelona attacker declared in an interview with Movistar+ .
Raphinha acknowledged that the news deeply affected the dressing room and preferred not to focus on his own performance or the team’s win.
“It can happen to any of us. It was very hard when we saw the news. It’s complicated. You go out to play a match and the same thing can happen to you,” he lamented.
Jesús de Miguel passed away on Tuesday at the University Hospital Nuestra Señora de Candelaria in Santa Cruz de Tenerife , where he had been in intensive care since Monday after suffering a heavy blow during the match between Tenerife and Andorra.
On a night when Raphinha shone on the pitch, the Brazilian reminded everyone that, before the goals and the victories, football is also made of humanity and solidarity.
