Barcelona’s Raphinha reveals he planned Gavi gesture with Ronald Araujo

Barcelona’s 5-2 victory over Sevilla on Sunday night was memorable for more than the scoreline: it marked the emotional return of midfielder Gavi, who stepped onto the pitch for the first time since August after undergoing knee surgery. The 19-year-old’s comeback was capped by a symbolic moment in the closing stages when captain Ronald Araujo handed him the armband, a gesture that, according to Raphinha, had been arranged well in advance by the squad’s leadership group.

“We’ve been waiting for this moment for a long time,” Raphinha told DAZN after the match. “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. 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.”

The Brazilian winger, who claimed a hat-trick in the rout, praised the team’s first-half intensity and believes the performance sets a confident tone ahead of their Champions League last-16 second-leg meeting with Newcastle. “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 said. “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.”

Gavi’s reintroduction came as Hansi Flick named a 23-man squad for the fixture, and the midfielder’s presence provided an emotional lift for players and fans alike as Barcelona continue their push on multiple fronts.