Raphinha delivers fiery x-rated two-word message to Argentina – as Brazil star makes vow in absence of rival Lionel Messi
Brazil star Raphinha delivered a threatening message to Argentina ahead of their World Cup qualifying grudge match.
The Barcelona man is in contention for the Ballon d’Or amid a breathtaking season which has seen him score 27 goals and set up a further 20.
He has come a long way from the glimmers of promise he showed at Leeds and hopes to be the main man – even ahead of Vinicius Junior – as Brazil look to chop down a seven-point gap to their South American rivals on Wednesday.
Last week the pair scored in Brazil’s 2-1 win over Colombia and Raphinha has vowed to find the net again against Argentina, who will be without Lionel Messi.
Raphinha caught up with Selecao legend Romario ahead of the clash.
‘We are going to play against Argentina, our biggest rival. Now, thank God, without Messi, are we going to beat them?’ asked Romario.
Brazil star Raphinha had a two-word message for Argentina ahead of their clash: ‘F*** them’
The Barcelona man vowed to find the net against Argentina as Brazil seek revenge
Argentina, who won the reverse fixture 1-0 in November 2023, will be without Lionel Messi
‘We will beat them, no doubt. On and off the pitch, if we have to,’ Raphinha warned.
‘Are you going to try to score a goal against Argentina?’ Romario asked.
‘Yes, with everything,’ Raphina replied.
Then there was a chance for the duo to crank up the expletive-o-meter.
‘F*** them?’ Romario asked.
Agreement from Raphinha: ‘F** them.’
Raphinha has scored five and assisted twice in nine qualifiers so far fro Brazil, but after 13 games, they lag seven behind Argentina.
That leaves them third in the CONMEBOL qualification table, and only two points ahead of sixth, but there is very little jeopardy for them.
Rivals fans fought in the stands before police intervened with batons at the reverse fixture
Players went to the stands to try and calm the situation down, with the match delayed by 30 minutes
Aston Villa and Argentina keeper Martinez appeared to try and grab an officer’s baton
Lionel Messi led the Argentina players off the field with kickoff delayed due to the violence
Some fans were spotted bleeding from their heads with at least one leaving the stadium
Other supporters at the Maracana were spotted crying as the violence subsided
A mother is seen sheltering her young children as they flee the chaotic scenes in the stadium
Six of the 10 South American teams automatically qualify for the World Cup, while a seventh will enter the inter-confederation play-offs.
Nicolas Otamendi was the only scorer at the Maracana in November 2023, a match which saw chaos in the stands.
A mass brawl broke out in the stands ahead of the game between rival supporters, before clashing with police, forcing kick-off to be delayed by half-an-hour.
Some players from both sides approached the stands to try and calm fans down, though Argentina goalkeeper Emiliano Martinez leapt up towards the stands to slap a baton out of an officer’s hands before being restrained by his team-mates.
Angel Di Maria was caught on camera spitting towards a fan who had thrown beer on him while he and team-mates retreated down the tunnel.
This time Argentina will have it harder without Messi, who has a muscle injury.
‘The examination’s findings confirmed the presence of a low-grade injury in the adductor muscle. His clinical progress and response to treatment will determine his availability for competition,’ wrote Messi’s club, Inter Miami, earlier this month.
