Merida Overview

Barcelona winger Raphinha was caught on camera demanding better protection from the referee during his side's recent La Liga clash with Sevilla. The Brazilian warned the official about the opposition's aggressive 'judo' tactics, insisting that early fouls needed to be penalised to prevent injuries to his team-mates.

Sevilla boss Luis Garcia pulled no punches following Saturday's defeat, branding Raphinha's Ballon d'Or snub an absolute joke. The Brazilian forward maintained his dazzling form by firing home a sublime hat-trick to seal a 3-1 victory for Barcelona at the Ramon Sanchez-Pizjuan, taking his sensational tally for the campaign to 14 strikes in all competitions.

Dominik Livakovic has opened up about his dream debut for Barcelona, revealing the vital role that a familiar face played in helping him settle into life with the Spanish giants. The Croatian goalkeeper was a surprise inclusion in Hansi Flick's starting line-up for the emphatic 3-1 victory over Sevilla, leapfrogging Wojciech Szczesny in the pecking order for the night.

Hansi Flick has admitted that managing Barcelona’s star-studded squad is becoming an emotional challenge despite the club’s flawless start to the La Liga campaign. The German head coach watched his side navigate a difficult encounter to secure another three points, yet he confessed that leaving high-profile names on the bench is the most taxing part of his job at the Camp Nou.