Raphinha’s moustache prompts light-hearted exchange with referee before Barcelona win

Referee Ortiz Arias praised Raphinha’s moustache during the pre-match coin toss before Barcelona’s 2-0 victory over Athletic Club at Spotify Camp Nou on Thursday.

Footage captured by the referee’s camera recorded Ortiz Arias speaking to the Brazil forward as the two teams prepared for kick-off. The official could be heard telling Raphinha: “I like your moustache.”

The brief exchange provided a humorous moment before Barcelona began their latest La Liga match, with Raphinha later making a decisive contribution on the pitch.

He opened the scoring in the 37th minute after dribbling past Athletic Club’s goalkeeper. Fermin Lopez then added a second goal in the 82nd minute to secure Barcelona’s win.

The result means Barcelona have won both of their league matches so far. They began their title defence with a 5-0 victory over Elche in the second round of the competition, having missed the opening round because several of their players had been involved in the later stages of the 2026 World Cup.

A number of Barcelona’s players had been among the key figures in Spain’s successful World Cup campaign. Spain won the final 1-0 against Argentina to claim the global title.

Barcelona’s victory over Athletic Club therefore followed a strong start to their league campaign, with Raphinha combining the pre-match spotlight generated by his appearance with the opening goal that put his side in control.

The incident involving Ortiz Arias and Raphinha was shared in a video from the match, showing the referee’s perspective during the coin toss. What began as a personal compliment before the game was followed by a match-winning performance from the Barcelona player, who gave his side the lead before Fermin Lopez confirmed the final score.