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There has been much debate in European football following Barcelona’s entertaining 5-4 victory over SL Benfica in the UEFA Champions League.
Dutch referee Danny Makkelie was the subject of much controversy as many believed he made multiple decisions in favor of Barcelona.
But in a recent interview, Barcelona club legend Rivaldo expressed his strong support for the referees following the intense criticism directed at referee Makkelie.
Rivaldo on arbitration decisions
Rivaldo was clear in his defense of the referee team. “It is too serious to insinuate that a team is helped by referees”he said (h/t SPORT).
Rivaldo added that he was never in favor of VAR because it adds complexity to the game of football.
“Errors have existed since my time and, despite the VAR, they continue to occur. I was always against the VAR, because, although at times it helps, at other times it complicates the game, and in the end the errors will continue.“, said.
Acknowledging the referee’s reaction after the match, Rivaldo said: “Complaints are normal. When the referee or the VAR makes a mistake, or there is a questionable play, the benefiting team will never say anything, while the other will always complain.
“It will always happen that there is a sequence of errors that favor any team, be it Real Madrid, be it Barcelona. They are part of football and refereeing.”
Rivaldo on Barcelona’s pursuit of Rashford
Rivaldo continued to offer two cents for Barcelona’s current pursuit of Marcus Rashford, which has been complicated by the club’s financial problems.
“I think he would have a place in this team, because, in addition to being a great player, Barcelona has a schedule with many games ahead of him and that would help him have opportunities. Rashford surely knows this“, said.
“An arrival like Rashford’s can only be positive because it helps the coach build a better team and gives him more options to choose between those alternatives to put on the field.”he added.
Rivaldo on Raphinha
In addition to the refereeing decisions that were in the spotlight during the Barcelona vs Benfica match, Rivaldo also expressed his opinion on Raphinha, who scored two goals that night.
“Raphinha is building that image of a leader for the Brazilian National Team. He is already captain in Barcelona, a fundamental player in the team, and he has been playing very well, with personality, which will help him a lot in the National Team.“, said.
“Having a player who acts with such confidence will be wonderful for Brazil, especially at the World Cup.
“If Brazil has him, with Vini, who always performs well, with Neymar, who can return in good shape, and with Rodrygo, they will have a very strong attack.”he added.
He also highlighted Raphinha and Lamine Yamal as the best current players in the world, probable contenders for the 2025 Ballon d’Or along with players like Vinicius Jr., Mohamed Salah and Jude Bellingham.
Rivaldo in the race for the title
Thanks to the recent draw with Getafe, Barcelona has lost a lot of ground in the race for the league title.
Following recent results, Rivaldo warned that Barcelona must now focus exclusively on La Liga.
“Now Flick and the team must focus on La Liga. Without a doubt, the coach will appreciate that the calendar changes with the team already qualified for the round of 16 and can work on achieving the title in his league”said the Brazilian.
“The team has peace of mind to better plan the remainder of the course. The fact of being second in the group stage of the Champions League and having the peace of mind of qualifying gives them more room for maneuver”, he concluded.
