Barcelona secured a comfortable 3-0 victory over visiting Aston Villa in the Champions League on Tuesday, ending the English side’s perfect run in the tournament. Raphinha scored twice in the second half after Lamine Yamal had given the hosts an early lead at the Camp Nou.
The Catalan club bounced back from a previous European defeat against Paris Saint-Germain. They kept themselves in contention for a top-eight finish in the league phase. Unai Emery coached Aston Villa, who competed strongly through the opening period but suffered from Barcelona’s superior efficiency in the final third.
Before kickoff, the traditional Champions League anthem was omitted as a mark of respect for Tenerife forward Jesus De Miguel. The player passed away on Tuesday morning following an on-pitch collision during a Spanish second division match the previous day.
Raphinha dedicated the result to the bereaved family in his post-match comments. Yes it was a good win, I want to dedicate this win to the fans, but today I don’t want to talk about football, I want to send a message to the family of Jesus, may he rest in peace, Raphinha told Movistar.
The Brazilian forward said the tragedy affected players deeply. This can happen to anyone, it is very tough, you are going to play a game and the same thing can happen to you, he said.
Aston Villa captain John McGinn played through a heavy downpour at the Camp Nou. The visitors gifted the opening goal to Barcelona in the seventh minute after a misplaced pass from Joao Gomes inside his own penalty area.
Yamal capitalised on the error immediately. The 19-year-old winger swept the ball past goalkeeper Zion Suzuki to break the deadlock.
Villa responded with sustained pressure before the break. Matty Cash sent a powerful shot narrowly wide via a deflection, and Barcelona goalkeeper Joan Garcia rushed off his line to deny Nicolas Jackson.
Barcelona doubled their advantage shortly after the interval. Fermin Lopez provided the pass for Raphinha, who maneuvered past defenders before placing his shot into the bottom corner.
Raphinha netted his second and Barcelona’s third goal later in the half. Joao Cancelo delivered a precise cross with the outside of his boot, allowing the Brazilian to score from close range for his 19th goal of the season across all competitions.
The victory also brought a defensive milestone for the hosts. Barcelona secured their first Champions League clean sheet in 19 matches.
