BARCELONA, Spain (AP) — Rafinha filled in for the injured Lionel Messi by scoring the opening goal to lead Barcelona to a 2-0 victory over Inter Milan in the Champions League on Wednesday.
Chosen by coach Ernesto Valverde to take Messi's place in the starting lineup, an inspired Rafinha recovered the ball to start an attack that he finished off by scoring from a pass by Luis Suarez in the 32nd minute.
Jordi Alba made sure of the win with a second goal with seven minutes remaining.
Messi cheered the goals from the stands at Camp Nou, his right arm in a sling after fracturing it in a win over Sevilla at the weekend.
Barcelona controls Group B with nine points after its third win in as many matches. Inter was left with six points following its first loss.
In the group's other match, Tottenham conceded late to draw 2-2 at PSV Eindhoven, leaving both with only one point.
Before kickoff, Barcelona fans chanted "Messi! Messi!" when images of the club's all-time leading scorer appeared on stadium screens.
Determined to show Barcelona could cope without its best player, Messi's teammates dominated Inter with their passing attack and quickly pressured to recover the ball when they — rarely — lost it.
But nobody had more to prove to both Barcelona — and Inter— than Rafinha, who was loaned out to Inter for the second half of the last season. The 25-year-old Brazilian midfielder is back at Barcelona after the Italian club decided not to exercise an option to sign him outright, and after media reports linked him to another loan deal this summer than never materialized. He had only played 111 minutes this season before getting the start against Inter.
Rafinha constantly harassed Inter's players when they had their short-lived possession, and his stealing of the ball from Matias Vecino sparked the move that he finished off with his first goal in 18 Champions League appearances.
After winning the ball near midfield, Rafinha surged forward, passing wide to Suarez on the right flank, who floated in a perfectly timed cross and the hard-charging Rafinha drove the ball past Samir Handanovic.
Inter had tried sending long balls to striker Mauro Icardi, who threatened to put in to a low cross from Ivan Peresic, before Barcelona defender Clement Lenglet drew a reflex save from Handanovic with a header in the 18th.
Inter's halftime substitute Matteo Politano worried Marc-Andre ter Stegen twice shortly after coming on, first with a cross that the Barcelona goalkeeper had to parry and then with a shot that went high.
The action was soon back in Inter's area as Suarez and Lenglet both forced Handanovic to make saves. Philippe Coutinho also hit the crossbar for the hosts before Ivan Rakitic fed a pass forward for Alba to fire home.
Rafinha was cheered by fans when he was substituted in the 72nd by Nelson Semedo.
Inter coach Luciano Spalletti couldn't count on midfielder Radja Nainggolan, who was injured in a 1-0 win against AC Milan over the weekend. But both Perisic and Marcelo Brozovic, who were doubtful for the match, made the starting lineup.
Barcelona next faces Real Madrid in the Spanish league on Sunday.
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