Raphinha is enjoying the best season of his career at FC Barcelona, emerging as a key figure in the team’s pursuit of silverware across all competitions. In a thrilling performance against Celta de Vigo, the Brazilian winger reached a remarkable milestone with Barca for the first time since Lionel Messi era.
Barcelona hosted Celta for Matchday 32 of the 2024–25 La Liga season, needing a win to maintain pressure on Real Madrid in the title race. After going up early, Barça trailed 3–1 at halftime thanks to a stunning first-half hat-trick by Borja Iglesias. But Raphinha sparked a dramatic second-half comeback.
He assisted Dani Olmo in the 64th minute and followed with two goals of his own in the 68th and 90+8th minutes to complete a 4–3 comeback win at the Montjuïc Olympic Stadium. The result moved Barça to 73 points—seven ahead of Real Madrid—and further solidified Raphinha’s status as one of the most impactful players in the league this season.
Head coach Hansi Flick, a key influence in Raphinha’s breakout campaign, applauded the winger’s mentality after the match. “At half time he was suffering a little bit, so I told him ‘Hey, we need you to be optimistic on the pitch.’ Then, he did it great, and it was unbelievable how we came back,” he said in the press conference.
Historic numbers not seen since Messi
With his standout performance against Celta de Vigo, Raphinha has now recorded 51 goal contributions in a single season for FC Barcelona—30 goals and 21 assists across La Liga, the UEFA Champions League, Copa del Rey, and Spanish Super Cup. The Brazilian winger has achieved this remarkable feat in just 48 appearances.
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He is the first Barca player to surpass the 50 mark in a season since Lionel Messi, who tallied 38 goals and 12 assists in 47 matches during the 2020–21 campaign—his final year at the club. Not even Robert Lewandowski has reached that level during his time in Catalonia.
Speaking to reporters after the match, Raphinha emphasized the collective effort behind the comeback. “The hero is not me, it’s the team. To score 50 goals with this team, in less than 3 years here, is something very special for me. Honestly, even in my wildest dreams, I never imagined this was possible. But to actually make it happen is so special,” Raphinha said.
This season has been Raphinha’s most prolific by far, easily surpassing his previous career-best of 22 goal contributions. Now thriving at Barcelona and leading on the stat sheet, the Brazilian has emerged as a serious Ballon d’Or contender.
