Neither Haaland nor Mbappé: a fearsome duo puts Yamal and Raphinha on the throne of Europe
Barcelona possess the best attacking duo on the European continent, made up of Lamine Yamal and Raphinha.
According to Sport, the pair have scored 29 goals and provided 14 assists across 14 matches, 11 of them in La Liga and three in the Champions League. That makes 43 direct goal contributions.
Raphinha has 17 goals and three assists in 12 matches. Yamal has scored 12 and created 11 across 14.
Those figures don't reveal everything the two offer the Catalan side, but they confirm the scale of their impact. Both have become indispensable. Raphinha's absence always leaves a hole, and Lamine simply has to play every match for the same reason.
No one at the club creates more chances than Lamine Yamal, who has carved out 48 goalscoring opportunities, double Raphinha's tally of 24, according to Stats. The Brazilian also puts in a huge shift off the ball, pressing and making runs that multiply Barcelona's attacking options.
In La Liga, Raphinha tops the scoring charts with 15 goals, while Lamine Yamal leads the assist providers with seven and has chipped in with 10 goals of his own. Between them they have contributed to 25 of the 46 goals Barcelona have netted. That's more than half the team's output.
No rivals for them in Europe
Line the pair up against the attacking duos at other Champions League clubs in the major leagues and the gap becomes obvious.
Take Harry Kane and Olise. Two of Bayern Munich's most prominent weapons, they have each scored eight goals in the German league and the Champions League, a combined 16. That's 13 fewer than the Barcelona pair.
Kane and Olise have also provided 12 assists, against 14 for Lamine and Raphinha. On direct goal contributions, the split stands at 28 to 43 in the Barcelona duo's favour.
At Manchester City, Erling Haaland has 13 goals and Rayan Cherki five, a combined 18. Real Madrid match that number, with 15 from Kylian Mbappe and three from Arda Guler.
Other heavyweights tell the same story. At Paris Saint-Germain, Ferran Torres and Ousmane Dembele have scored 11, the same return as Lautaro Martinez and Marcus Thuram at Inter Milan.
What makes these numbers stand out is that Barcelona have two players who have each cleared the 10-goal mark, on top of their constant threat around opposition goals.
Beyond the big five European leagues, several attacking duos catch the eye, but none come close to the goalscoring of Lamine Yamal and Raphinha.
At Club Brugge, Tresoldi has scored 12 and Hugo Vetlesen six, a combined 18. Sporting Lisbon sit on 14, through 12 from Luis Suarez and two from Geny Catamo.
