Gavi took over from Raphinha late on in the 5-2 win and was handed the captain’s armband by Ronald Araujo after coming on.
Raphinha told the media after the game that it was a gesture that had been pre-planned by the Barca captains.
“We’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time. We know Gavi wants to be on the pitch. He has
the spirit of a warrior, and having him back on the field is something special,” he told DAZN.
“We’re very happy for him. Ronald and I talked about giving him the armband for his return. I think it was special for him too.”
Raphinha bagged a hat-trick in the win, and feels the team are in good shape heading into a Champions League lats 16 second leg against Newcsatle.
“We controlled the game well. The three goals in the first half helped us. We looked for openings and I think we did it very well,” he added.
“We conceded two goals where we need to be a little more careful, but overall we played a spectacular game. We need to minimize mistakes. Playing like this, it’s difficult for anyone to beat us.”
