In numbers: Raphinha, the king of penalties in La Liga

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Raphinha reminded everyone of his worth at Barcelona once again, driving the champions to a thumping 5-0 demolition of Elche in their opening La Liga fixture. The Brazilian's individual display cemented his place as one of Hansi Flick's most dangerous attacking weapons.

The "Squawka" network flagged one of his most striking numbers on X. Since arriving at Barcelona in the summer of 2022, no player in La Liga can better his penalty record among those who have kept a perfect conversion rate.

Nine penalties taken in a Barcelona shirt across all competitions, nine scored. The Brazilian has never missed once, a flawless 100 per cent return.

That stat wasn't the only thing catching the eye. Raphinha turned in one of his finest performances in Barcelona colours against Elche, bagging two goals and an assist as his side romped to a 5-0 win on the road to launch their title defence.

His numbers laid bare the impact. Across 80 minutes he touched the ball 25 times, completed 15 of 18 passes and got on the ball six times inside Elche's box.

Going forward, the Brazilian managed three shots on target, every one a genuine threat, and created three chances for his team-mates, two of them clear openings. He finished with two goals and a decisive assist to his name.

Raphinha broke the deadlock from the spot, then struck again after the break for his second. He also teed up Karim Adeyemi, earning heaps of praise for steering Barcelona to a perfect start in La Liga. Fermin Lopez chipped in with two goals of his own, while substitute Anthony Gordon laid on two assists off the bench, and Flick's men signalled they're ready to fight for a third straight title.

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