Barcelona s Raphinha celebrates scoring his side s second goal during the Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Paris Saint-Germain and Barcelona at the Parc des Princes stadium in Paris, Wednesday, April 10, 2024. AP
In his second year with the Catalan club, the Brazil forward is still looking to fulfill the high expectations that came with his signing from Leeds in 2022.
He got off to another slow start this season but is red-hot right now as Barcelona plays the decisive stages of the Champions League and begins its final push for the Spanish league title.
Raphinha scored twice in the team’s 3-2 win at Paris Saint-Germain in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinals on Wednesday, and had already netted the winner in Barcelona's 1-0 win at Las Palmas in the Spanish league.
“Raphinha is a player who makes the difference,” Barcelona coach Xavi Hernández said. “He is great playing in spaces and he plays with great intensity. He always works for the team. We are very pleased with him.”
It was one of the best matches with Barcelona for the 27-year-old Raphinha, who last season scored 10 goals with the club and has eight this campaign.
“It was a special night that I’ll always remember,” Raphinha said. “It was a spectacular evening, not just for me but for the whole team as well.”
One of Raphinha’s goals came off an assist by playmaker Pedri, who returned from an injury layoff and could also be key for Barcelona as it tries to catch up to Real Madrid in the Spanish league.
Second-place Barcelona visits relegation-threatened Cadiz on Saturday, hoping to cut into Madrid’s eight-point lead with eight rounds of matches to go.
The defending league champions have won five straight games in all competitions, including five of its last six in the league, but Madrid is in control as it enters the final stretch.
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