Barcelona midfielder Rafinha described Barcelona's Uefa Champions League win over Inter Milan on Wednesday as a "great boost" ahead of this weekend's clasico against Real Madrid
The midfielder, who spent last season on loan at Inter, opened the scoring on 32 minutes before Jordi Alba added a late second to maintain Barca's 100 per cent start to the Group B with three wins out of three.
Lionel Messi - out with a broken arm - watched from the stands at Camp Nou as Barca dominated and the Argentine will miss Sunday's match against bitter rivals Madrid.
Barca head into the first clasico of the season top of the Primer Liga on 18 points, four ahead of seventh-placed Madrid, and Rafinha said he and his teammate go into Sunday's match at Camp Nou full of confidence after an impressive performance against the Italians.
"This result is a great confidence boost for all of us and when Sunday brings the clasico we'll be so up for it," Rafinha told Movistar.
"We are very happy for the match, against a team that was going to make things very difficult for us, we played very well.
"The Champions League is special for us, although the other competitions are also very important.
"But also for the win, for the goal and for the intense motivation a night like this gives me.
"We did very well against a team we knew would cause us difficulties all night. To win like this, Barca had to produce very good football."
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Read more:
Barcelona 'step up' in Messi's absence against Inter Milan in Uefa Champions League game
Julen Lopetegui vows to fight on to turn around Real Madrid's struggles
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Under-fire Madrid manager Julen Lopetegui was assured by club officials he will still be in charge for Sunday's match after an unconvincing 2-1 win over Viktoria Plzen in the Champions League on Tuesday.
Lopetegui said before facing Plzen he could not guarantee whether he would be in the dugout to face Spanish champions Barcelona. He avoided the same question after the victory which ended a winless spell spanning five games but did little to dispel doubts about Real's current form.
Club director and former Real striker Emilio Butragueno, however, said there was no danger the former Spain manager would be sacked before Sunday.
"Lopetegui will be in the dugout at the Nou Camp with absolute normality. In these type of situations it's important to stay calm," he told reporters following Tuesday's match.
"We hear a lot of rumours but we are dealing with the situation as normal. I hope the team can put in a good performance against Barcelona."
Lopetegui initially avoided the question of whether he would be in charge against Barcelona by saying "that is not a question for me".
When later told that Butragueno had guaranteed his presence at Camp Nou, he insisted he was not focused on his future.
"You do not change course in one day but I think today can be a turning point for us," he added.
"We have to keep gaining tranquility little by little."
The specs
Price, base: Dh228,000 / Dh232,000 (est)
Engine: 5.7-litre Hemi V8
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 395hp @ 5,600rpm
Torque: 552Nm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.5L / 100km
Scores
Oman 109-3 in 18.4 overs (Aqib Ilyas 45 not out, Aamir Kaleem 27) beat UAE 108-9 in 20 overs (Usman 27, Mustafa 24, Fayyaz 3-16, Bilal 3-23)
The full list of 2020 Brit Award nominees (winners in bold):
British group
Coldplay
Foals
Bring me the Horizon
D-Block Europe
Bastille
British Female
Mabel
Freya Ridings
FKA Twigs
Charli xcx
Mahalia
British male
Harry Styles
Lewis Capaldi
Dave
Michael Kiwanuka
Stormzy
Best new artist
Aitch
Lewis Capaldi
Dave
Mabel
Sam Fender
Best song
Ed Sheeran and Justin Bieber - I Don’t Care
Mabel - Don’t Call Me Up
Calvin Harrison and Rag’n’Bone Man - Giant
Dave - Location
Mark Ronson feat. Miley Cyrus - Nothing Breaks Like A Heart
AJ Tracey - Ladbroke Grove
Lewis Capaldi - Someone you Loved
Tom Walker - Just You and I
Sam Smith and Normani - Dancing with a Stranger
Stormzy - Vossi Bop
International female
Ariana Grande
Billie Eilish
Camila Cabello
Lana Del Rey
Lizzo
International male
Bruce Springsteen
Burna Boy
Tyler, The Creator
Dermot Kennedy
Post Malone
Best album
Stormzy - Heavy is the Head
Michael Kiwanuka - Kiwanuka
Lewis Capaldi - Divinely Uninspired to a Hellish Extent
Dave - Psychodrama
Harry Styles - Fine Line
Rising star
Celeste
Joy Crookes
beabadoobee
RESULTS
5pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,400m
Winner: AF Tathoor, Tadhg O’Shea (jockey), Ernst Oertel (trainer)
5.30pm: Handicap (TB) Dh70,000 1,000m
Winner: Dahawi, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi
6pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 2,000m
Winner: Aiz Alawda, Fernando Jara, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
6.30pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 2,000m
Winner: ES Nahawand, Fernando Jara, Mohammed Daggash
7pm: Maiden (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: Winked, Connor Beasley, Abdallah Al Hammadi
7.30pm: Al Ain Mile Group 3 (PA) Dh350,000 1,600m
Winner: Somoud, Connor Beasley, Ahmed Al Mehairbi
8pm: Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: Al Jazi, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinel
Should late investors consider cryptocurrencies?
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He adds that if a person is interested in owning a business or growing a property portfolio to increase their retirement income, this can be encouraged provided they keep in mind the overall risk profile of these assets.
The National's picks
4.35pm: Tilal Al Khalediah
5.10pm: Continous
5.45pm: Raging Torrent
6.20pm: West Acre
7pm: Flood Zone
7.40pm: Straight No Chaser
8.15pm: Romantic Warrior
8.50pm: Calandogan
9.30pm: Forever Young
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
