Raphinha’s record-breaking season fuels Barcelona’s treble charge

At the start of the season, few would have predicted that Raphinha would become the heartbeat of a resurgent Barcelona side.

Nine months later, the Brazilian forward is not just thriving – he’s on the verge of making history.

After two inconsistent years following his £55m move from Leeds United in 2022, the 28-year-old has found his form in spectacular fashion.

Now, he is spearheading Barca’s pursuit of a historic treble, with the Catalan giants four points clear at the top of La Liga, through to the Copa del Rey final, and edging closer to a Champions League semi-final spot.

On Wednesday night, Raphinha delivered another masterclass, scoring and assisting twice in Barcelona’s emphatic 4-0 first-leg win over Borussia Dortmund in the Champions League quarter-finals.

That performance brought his tally to a staggering 28 goals and 20 assists in all competitions this season – by far the best campaign of his career.

His contributions in Europe are especially eye-catching. With 19 goal involvements in 11 Champions League games, Raphinha has equalled Lionel Messi’s club record for a single campaign – a mark set during the 2011-12 season.

He now stands just three away from matching Cristiano Ronaldo’s all-time record of 21, set in 2013-14 with Real Madrid.

Beyond the stats, Raphinha’s influence has elevated the performances of teammates Robert Lewandowski and teenage sensation Lamine Yamal.

With 34 chances created in the Champions League alone – the second most this season — his all-round play has ignited talk of Ballon d’Or contention.

“I love playing with players of a very high level,” Raphinha said post-match. “We are managing to make spectacular numbers and I hope we continue like this.”

If current form holds, history – and perhaps global football’s top individual prize – could be waiting.