'Lacklustre' - Raphinha slammed by Spanish media despite Barcelona comeback win vs Atletico Madrid

Barcelona came from behind to secure a 2-1 victory over Atletico Madrid at the Metropolitano on Sunday evening, with Fermin Lopez scoring twice to preserve their position at the top of LaLiga.

However, Raphinha endured a frustrating night against Diego Simeone's side, struggling to make an attacking impact as Atletico's defenders successfully restricted his influence.

The Brazilian received predominantly negative reviews from the Spanish media, with two publications awarding him 5/10 and another giving him 6/10, although his pressing and work rate were acknowledged.

What did the Spanish media say about Raphinha vs Atletico?

El Nacional were particularly critical, awarding Raphinha 5/10 and describing him as "desaparecido" - 'disappeared'.

Gerard Romanach felt the Brazilian barely featured, writing: "Raphinha hoy no ha aparecido. Muy bien defendido por los centrales, tampoco ha tenido ninguna ocasion clara para marcar." In English, 'Raphinha did not turn up', with Atletico's centre-backs defending him well and preventing him from finding a clear goalscoring opportunity.

ElDesmarque also handed him 5/10, although they recognised his contribution without the ball, highlighting his pressing as particularly important to Barcelona's second-half improvement.

La Vanguardia were slightly more generous, awarding Raphinha 6/10 and labelling him "controlado" - 'contained'. They felt Atletico successfully defended the winger, restricting his involvement and preventing him from becoming a significant attacking threat.

Mundo Deportivo described him as "desajustado" - 'out of sync' - suggesting he fell into Atletico's trap by drifting into crowded central areas rather than finding space out wide. Nevertheless, the publication stressed that his effort and commitment were unquestionable.

Meanwhile, Barcelona-focused publication Comuniate also described his display as "bastante gris" - rather 'lacklustre' - and English-based Barca Universal gave him 6.5/10, noting that he struggled to influence proceedings against Atletico's defensive organisation.

Is Raphinha's disappointing display just a small blip?

Despite the criticism, there is little reason for Barcelona to become overly concerned about Raphinha's form based on one frustrating evening.

The Brazilian has enjoyed an outstanding start to the 2026-27 campaign, registering 19 goals and three assists in 14 appearances across LaLiga and the Champions League. His return includes 15 league goals and four in Europe's premier club competition, underlining just how influential he has been for Hansi Flick's side.

That exceptional productivity makes Sunday's performance look more like an isolated setback than a worrying decline. Atletico deserve credit for successfully restricting him, but Raphinha still contributed through his pressing and defensive work, even when his attacking qualities were largely neutralised.

Barcelona also found other solutions, with Fermin stepping up to score twice and Lamine Yamal providing the decisive assist. That ability to win without Raphinha firing on all cylinders is another positive for Flick.

The 29-year-old has set exceptionally high standards this season, but his 22 goal contributions provide plenty of evidence of his importance. One quiet night against Simeone's notoriously difficult defensive setup should not overshadow what has otherwise been an electric campaign.