Despite Ter Stegen’s attempt to de-escalate the situation and encourage Raphinha to leave the field to avoid disciplinary action, the Brazilian winger, 28, responded angrily and shoved the goalkeeper multiple times. The altercation escalated further, with Ter Stegen confronting him directly.
Former Barcelona player Ivan Rakitić later suggested that the confrontation continued in the dressing room, becoming even more intense. He stated that tensions had reached a point where the two no longer spoke to each other. The strain was evident when Ter Stegen didn’t celebrate Raphinha’s opening goal against Borussia Dortmund — a crucial strike that helped Barcelona move closer to their first Champions League semifinal appearance since 2019. At the time, Ter Stegen was sidelined with a serious knee injury and watched the match from the stands.
The conflict didn’t end there. Ter Stegen was also displeased when Raphinha interfered with a goal-bound effort from teammate Pau Cubarsí, tapping the ball in from the line and nearly causing the goal to be disallowed for offside.
Raphinha drew heavy criticism from pundits, who labeled him a poor teammate. Many pointed to his physical confrontation with Ter Stegen — despite the goalkeeper’s injured knee — as reckless and inconsiderate. Others accused him of being selfish for denying Cubarsí a potential goal and risking a crucial play for the team.
