Former Leeds United winger Raphina scored a goal and added two assists against poor MLS team Inter Miami in a recent friendly and made a bold statement.
FC Barcelona went full blast on Inter Miami with a 6-0 beatdown. While the game was basically a Barça showcase, Inter Miami is one of the worst teams in the MLS and the 6-0 result should be seen as nothing more as the result of going up against easy competition.
Still, FC Barcelona looked good, playing a fluid and intense brand of soccer. Their attack and new Brazilian winger Raphinha looked lively. A former Leeds United star, Raphina scored a goal and added two assists in the contest.
Raphinha’s statement after the game raised a few eyebrows: “We’re better than Real Madrid and I want to play them.” FC Barcelona kicks off a new La Liga season on August 13.
An FC Barcelona vs. Real Madrid friendly is set to go on July 24.
The two bitter rivals will meet in Las Vegas. FC Barcelona has made several splash signings in addition to Raphinha, including Robert Lewandowski, Andreas Christensen and Franck Kessié.
Barça has been reported to be in financial turmoil but they made five major signings in July and hope to be La Liga contenders this season. Despite having a very poor season last year, FC Barcelona will play the UEFA Champions League as well. The Spanish giants began their game against Inter Miami in an intriguing 4-3-3 formation and played most of their stars in the second half.
