How Did Raphinha Dethrone Messi’s Legendary Champions League Record at Barcelona?

Sometimes, the spotlight shines brightest where you least expect it. While young wonder Lamine Yamal grabbed plenty of headlines, it was Raphinha who really flexed his clutch gene for Barcelona in the latest Champions League thriller. Snatching two critical goal involvements — assisting Ferran Torres’s equalizer and nudging the ball into an own net thanks to his fierce shot — the Brazilian forward carved his name deeper into Barca’s European saga by eclipsing a long-standing record once held by none other than Lionel Messi. It’s not just a stat; it’s a testament to the prodigious impact this former Leeds man continues to make on football’s biggest stage. With 21 goal contributions this season—a tally Messi set at 19 back in 2011/12—Raphinha’s brilliance pulses through Barcelona’s campaign, promising even more drama as the return leg and a potential final still loom.

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While all eyes are often on Lamine Yamal, Raphinha once again proved decisive for Barcelona in a Champions League match. The Brazilian assisted Ferran Torres for the 2-2 equalizer and played a direct role in Yann Sommer’s own goal for the 3-3 tie. This performance allowed the forward to surpass a record previously held by Lionel Messi.

With his direct involvement in two of Barcelona‘s three goals on the night (UEFA counted his shot off the crossbar that led to the own goal as an assist), the former Leeds player now has 21 goal contributions in this season’s UEFA Champions League, breaking the Argentine’s record of 19 set in 2011/12.

Messi held the previous high mark for his contributions thirteen years ago, when he had 14 goals and 5 assists. So far in this competition, Raphinha has accumulated 12 goals and 9 assists (30 and 22, respectively, when counting all competitions) with Barcelona. And there is still the return leg and a potential final to come…

Raphinha’s Messi-esque impact

The Brazilian’s impact is so significant that his average is nearly identical to Lionel Messi’s. The world’s best player made his 19 contributions in 990 minutes, averaging a goal participation every 52 minutes. Raphinha’s 21 interventions came in 1104 minutes, producing a goal every 53 minutes. It is worth noting that his numbers have surpassed those of Lionel Messi.

Raphinha’s frustration after the 3-3 draw

The Brazilian did not leave satisfied after the draw in the first leg in Catalonia. “Conceding many goals at home is unacceptable, but we must give credit to Inter, who are very strong on corners. Everything is still up in the air for the return leg, which we will prepare well. It’s not the worst result.”

“Maybe we risked too much, but at home, we had to do it. It was our obligation to win,” said the attacker after the game. Regarding his goal, he stated: “I hit it hard and was lucky with the rebound.” The fact that there was luck involved in the goal indicates what kind of a player he is as, according to him, he was just lucky.

Barcelona vs. Inter: The return leg

Following the match at the Olympic Stadium in Montjuic, the teams will face each other again on Tuesday, May 6th. More than 80,000 spectators will enjoy the return leg at the Giuseppe Meazza Stadium from 3 PM. Hopefully the result will be definitive and neither team will depend on their luck to take them to the next stage of the tournament.