Barcelona visit Inter Milan in a tantalising Champions League semi-final second leg clash on Tuesday, with Raphinha’s latest contribution in the club’s spectacular European run ensuring the tie restarts on a knife-edge. For once this season the statistics did not fully reflect the Brazilian’s part in Barcelona’s third goal in the 3-3 first leg draw, as his vicious strike hit the crossbar and bounced in off Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer for an own goal. Despite that his Champions League numbers are spectacular and a just representation of the key part Raphinha forms of Hansi Flick’s relentless attacking machine.
Raphinha has scored 12 goals in 13 European matches and set up nine more, if you include his assist for Sommer’s own goal, 21 goal contributions — while opponents Inter have scored 22 as a team across the whole competition.
The 28-year-old’s tally has surpassed Argentine great Lionel Messi’s best ever total of 19 direct goal involvements with the Catalan giants in a Champions League campaign.
Over the season the former Leeds winger has 31 goals and 25 assists in 52 games across all competitions, as Barcelona target a potential quadruple, with the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup already in the bag.
That Barcelona are on the verge of the Champions League final is evidently in no small part down to the rise of Raphinha in his third season at the club.
In turn the Brazilian winger’s revival is, he says, down to coach Hansi Flick.
“The truth is he changed practically everything for me,” said Raphinha in April.
“I was going to leave the club before the season started, the coach was so important in changing my mind, for me to stay at the club.
“He gave me all the confidence possible for me to do what I am doing, he changed everything, he basically changed my career.
“I’m doing my best, my best season since I started playing and I owe it all to him.”
‘I love him’
Barcelona signed Raphinha in July 2022, one of several players the club brought in by activating various financial ‘palancas’ or financial levers, selling off future television income and other assets.
Raphinha impressed with his hard work but also frustrated with his inconsistency, as Barcelona went on to win La Liga under Xavi Hernandez, netting 10 times.
The following year was disappointing for both Raphinha and Barcelona, as he and the club failed to build on their progress and ended up trophyless.
Raphinha struck 10 goals again across all competitions but Lamine Yamal’s emergence on the right, in his favoured spot, left him facing a potential exit.
The cash-strapped Catalans looked kindly on a potential sale, with his Premier League history ensuring suitors would not be hard to find, while the Saudi Pro League was also calling.
Barca were interested in Spain and Athletic Bilbao star Nico Williams, but Raphinha was convinced to stay by Flick and rapidly adapted to playing on the left wing.
Raphinha’s work-rate suits Flick’s high-pressing game perfectly, although even the German would not have imagined he would become a Ballon d’Or contender during the season of his career.
“Raphinha is very important, I love him, like the other players, but he is a leader, he always has that positive thinking that he manages to pass on to the rest of his teammates,” said Flick, after the winger helped Barca make a late comeback against Celta Vigo in April.
He trails Borussia Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy by one goal in the Champions League scoring charts and it almost came against Inter, but for the crossbar.
Raphinha set up Ferran Torres’ goal in that thrilling game and again showed the kind of drive to improve which makes him so valuable in Flick’s young side.
“It is unacceptable to concede so many goals at home,” he said, never shy of speaking his mind.
With much of the focus on Yamal after the teenager’s first leg fireworks, Raphinha will keep on relentlessly chipping away on the left at the San Siro, playing his role to perfection as Barca bid to make the final for the first time since 2015.
(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)
Topics mentioned in this article
