Rafinha on Copa clash with Atletico: "To be champions you have to win against the best "

Luis Enrique heaped praise on Barcelona midfielder Rafinha after the Brazilian starred in his side's 4-0 win over Elche in the Copa del Rey in midweek.

"He will be key [to Barça] in the coming years because he has everything needed to succeed here: sacrifice, hard work and quality," Lucho explained.

The words has gone unnoticed by Rafinha, until he was informed of them on Friday.

"I didn't know he'd said that," the brother of former Barça man Thiago Alcantara revealed. "I'm grateful for his words, but I'm just working to try and help the team. I've spent three years with him (Barça B, Celta and now in Barcelona's first team); he knows me well and I know him well."

With such a heavy lead from the first leg, the Catalans were able to field a much changed team at Elche, but Rafinha has insisted they are still important games for a player's development.  

"They are important for us," he continued, "and we have to take them very seriously because they allow us the chance to get some rhythm and to enjoy ourselved."

Whether he will be involved against Atletico Madrid in the quarter-final is yet to be revealed, but he's not fazed by having to face Diego Simeone's side at this stage in the competition.

"We knew that whoever (Atleti beat Real Madrid) got through, it would be a really difficult match," Rafinha added. "To be champions you have to win against the best and we are moving forward with that mentality, trying to win everything."

As for Sunday's match against Deportivo de La Coruña, it represents a special occasion for Rafinha, given he played in the Galician derby last season under Luis Enrique's orders.

"If I was playing for Celta, like last seasom it would be a really important match, but playing with Barça it's not as important," the midfielder concluded.