On October 6, according to Central European Time (CET), The Athletic published an in-depth feature on the "hand tape craze" phenomenon among current players.

It's a seemingly mundane topic that has sparked continuous controversy: Why do some Barcelona players tape their hands, fingers, or wrists?

Here's how it unfolded: Barcelona has been in exceptional form recently, displaying complete dominance and achieving an impressive record of 7 wins in 7 La Liga matches, scoring 31 goals. Subsequently, conspiracy theories began circulating on social media.

The topic first gained attention in 2025, toward the end of Flick's debut season in charge, when Barcelona was on track to win the domestic treble, targeting La Liga, Copa del Rey, and Spanish Super Cup titles.

A conspiracy theory spread across international social media platforms claiming that Barcelona players wrapped their hands to conceal needle marks. These puncture marks were allegedly from injections, supposedly to hide some form of illegal performance enhancement.

Raphinha was the first player to publicly dismiss these rumors. In May 2025, Barcelona defeated Real Madrid 4-3 in a thrilling match, extending their lead over their fierce rivals to 7 points with three La Liga matches remaining.

About two weeks before that match, Marca published an interview with Niko Mihic. Mihic, a former Real Madrid doctor, had recently returned to the Bernabéu.

In the interview, Mihic was asked about common habits among footballers regarding taping. It should be noted that this question was not specifically directed at Barcelona players. However, objectively speaking, his response failed to provide a scientific perspective to a social media environment rife with subjective speculation and frustration.

"Maybe they play table tennis too much and have tendinitis... kind of like maybe they haven't finished bribing Negreira," Mihic said. He was referring to payments totaling €8.4 million (approximately $9.5 million USD or £7.2 million at current exchange rates) that Barcelona paid to José María Enríquez Negreira, former vice president of Spain's Refereeing Committee, between 2001 and 2018—a scandal first exposed in February 2023.

"I don't know the specific situation, but what I want to say is any doctor knows that hands and wrists are the best places to find veins more easily. I don't believe in passing fads. I don't think players wear protective equipment designed for injuries or weaknesses without reason."

Ahead of the Real Madrid match, Raphinha shared his thoughts.

"Throughout the entire season, the outside world has been trying to disrupt us," he said in an interview with ESPN. "The most recent narrative they're pushing is this made-up story that we're injecting ourselves through our hands or wrists. It's completely absurd. We've undergone anti-doping tests all season long, and no one would be stupid enough to gain a competitive advantage this way."

The Brazilian forward scored two goals in that 4-3 victory. After one of his goals, he deliberately pointed at the camera and gestured toward the blue tape that covered almost his entire right hand.

"I did that celebration to tell people to mind their own business," he said immediately after the match.

To this day, hand tape remains a distinguishing feature of this Barcelona team, with some players, including Yamal, continuing to wear it during matches. In a video posted on his personal channel before the World Cup, Yamal explained why he wears the tape.

"Initially, it was because I got angry playing PlayStation and smashed the TV screen, injuring my finger," he said. "My finger was very swollen, and I had to tape it. Then I thought it looked cool on me, like Benzema. I even joked with my friends, calling myself KB9. I've worn it since because I felt it looked good on me."

Benzema's situation was similar. The former Real Madrid striker began wearing a wrist brace after a hand injury, and after performing well with it, he kept the habit as a good luck charm. Photos show numerous other Barcelona players wearing tape for similar reasons.

Gavi is another player frequently mentioned in conspiracy posts. The 22-year-old started wearing tape in January 2025 after breaking a finger during training, requiring it for protection during matches. Later, as the team went on a winning streak, he began treating the tape as a lucky charm and continued wearing it.

Cubarsí also wears tape and wore it throughout the summer World Cup—an event where he was honored as the Best Young Player alongside Spain's victorious squad. The reason was to protect his right thumb, injured in La Liga's final match against Alavés.

Another example is former Barcelona striker Pau Víctor. Four years ago, while playing for Sabadell, he broke his hand. Taping was initially a practical necessity to protect the wound, but it later became an indispensable good luck charm. After moving from Barcelona to Braga in Portugal last year, he has maintained the habit of taping his hand during matches.

Similar situations also exist outside Barcelona, as The Athletic recently reported: Liverpool manager Andoni Iraola tapes one finger on each hand before every match. The reason, as you might expect, is for good luck.

Unable to speak publicly, people in the dressing room requested anonymity when offering their perspective. They dismiss the persistent conspiracy theories on social media as nonsense.

"There's absolutely no hidden agenda; it's basically an accessory that looks good in photos, like a headband or the wristbands NBA players wear," a source from the dressing room said. "Given how successful the team has been over the last two seasons, I wouldn't be surprised if Lamine starts wrapping his entire right hand and both his pinky fingers next."

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