Xavi’s Half-Time Exchange with Raphinha Reveals Barcelona’s Offside Woes

In the recent Las Palmas game, tensions flared during the first half as Xavi engaged in a heated exchange with Raphinha, prompted by the Brazilian forward being caught offside in a crucial episode. An angered Xavi provided instructions to avoid such instances, to which Raphinha responded, “I can’t do anything else.”

Barcelona faced a notable challenge with offsides in the Las Palmas encounter, with the team caught offside 14 times. This marked a stark contrast to their usual performance, where they typically incur 2 or 3 offside calls per game this season. Raphinha alone found himself trapped offside four times, while Ferran Torres, though more active in seeking openings, was caught just twice.

Despite the offside struggles, Raphinha has been a key contributor to Barca’s campaign, amassing 3 goals and 7 assists in 18 appearances this season.

The article also delves into Barcelona’s broader issue with offside traps against Las Palmas and explores the team’s potential strategies to address this weakness. Additionally, it touches upon recent developments, including reports of Raphinha being placed on the market by Barcelona, accompanied by a hefty $100 million price tag.