Raphinha knocks on Neymar's door: stunning numbers place him among Barcelona's legends
Raphinha's brilliance at Barcelona is no longer just an exceptional start or a fleeting spell of form. The numbers confirm that the Brazilian has reached a level that puts him among the most prominent of his compatriots to leave a clear mark on the Catalan club's history.
His two goals against Feyenoord in Barcelona's Champions League opener drew Raphinha level with the numbers his idol Neymar posted in the competition for the club, edging him closer to the elite group of Brazilian stars who shone at Barcelona: Evaristo, Romario, Ronaldo, Rivaldo, Ronaldinho and Neymar chief among them.
Four years ago, Raphinha arrived without the fanfare that greeted some of his compatriots. Hard work, professionalism, determination, quality and the ability to overcome difficulties won over the club's fans and made him one of the team's most important players.
Hansi Flick played a pivotal role in that transformation. The German coach found the best way to use his qualities, pushing him each season towards new challenges, and Raphinha embraced every one of them and turned it into a strength.
An exceptional start
Raphinha is enjoying a historic start to the season since being turned into an out-and-out striker. He has scored 8 goals in his first 5 official matches, 6 in La Liga and two in the Champions League, all while wearing the captain's armband.
The Brazilian has proved he can lead the line with real efficiency, just when Barcelona needed to cover the absence of Robert Lewandowski and the failure to complete the signing of Julian Alvarez.
His current form has made Raphinha one of the most decisive forwards in Europe. He has adapted to a new position without losing his usual threat or influence.
The Champions League is his stage
Feyenoord's stadium hosted one of Raphinha's finest performances of the season. He scored twice on a rainy night and was exceptional throughout.
The brace mattered for more than the quality of the finishes. It carried historic value, taking Raphinha into the top 10 Brazilian scorers in Champions League history and drawing him level with Neymar's Barcelona numbers in the competition.
In 34 European matches for Barcelona, Raphinha has scored 21 goals and provided 18 assists, reaching 39 direct goal contributions.
Neymar, across the four seasons he spent at Barcelona between 2013-2014 and 2016-2017, scored 21 goals and provided 19 assists in 40 Champions League matches, a total of 40 goal contributions.
What stands out is that Raphinha reached his numbers in fewer minutes. He has played 2,610 minutes in the Champions League to Neymar's 3,408, which gives him the better rate in front of goal.
One important historic advantage still belongs to Neymar. He won the Champions League with Barcelona in 2015, the season the club completed a historic treble under Luis Enrique.
Neymar: a special role model
Ronaldinho Gaucho was Raphinha's boyhood idol, not least because the former Barcelona star is friends with the player's father. Neymar, though, later took a special place in the heart of the current Barcelona man.
Raphinha has always seen Neymar as one of the greatest talents to come out of Brazil in the modern era. Playing together for the national team strengthened their bond, and it grew into a strong friendship off the pitch too.
Last May, when Carlo Ancelotti named Brazil's squad for the World Cup, Raphinha and his wife Natalia were among the first to contact Neymar at Santos to congratulate him on his return to the national team.
Matching Neymar's Barcelona numbers in the Champions League therefore carries a special taste for Raphinha, who is a step closer to the goal he set himself the moment he arrived at the club: to leave his name engraved in Barcelona's history.
The story will not stop here, either. Barcelona have already begun looking at improving and extending Raphinha's contract, a move that reflects the standing he has reached within the team.
