Raphinha equals incredible Messi goalscoring record for Barcelona
Barcelona have continued their perfect start to La Liga with a 5-0 thumping of Valencia and with it, Raphinha has equalled a record only Lionel Messi has achieved in the past.
Raphinha scored in the 50th minute, netting his sixth of the campaign after four games and only Messi has achieved that in La Liga history.
Cristiano Ronaldo, as a comparison, hit five goals across the first four games in three different seasons.
Messi still does have the edge for now as he achieved the feat twice in consecutive years, first in 2012-13 and then 2013-14.
Raphinha also has some way to go before matching one of Messi’s most impressive feats, scoring in 21 consecutive matches. Messi bagged 33 in 21 in the 2012-13 season which is five clear of Josef Bican in second.
With the departure of Robert Lewandowski and the failure to sign Julian Alvarez, Raphinha has been playing in the number nine spot to devastating effect and Barcelona’s attack is already looking like the strongest in Europe with their players in ridiculous form to start the year.
Raphinha has an assist to go with his six goals while Fermin Lopez has four goals and two assists. Lamine Yamal has four goals and Antony Gordon, who has settled well into life in Spain, has four assists.
Hansi Flick meanwhile set his own record with 60 matchdays top of the table, surpassing Johan Cruyff who previously held the title.
He described his team’s latest win as “nearly perfect.”
“We played a fantastic game, it was nearly perfect, we controlled, we were dominant and this is what I want from the team,” the German said.
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“We stay calm and then if it’s possible to score we try to do it – it was a fantastic game for us. Nothing is perfect, you always can improve. If it’s perfect then you can stop working.”
Next for Barcelona, they begin their European campaign with the visit of Feyenoord to the Camp Nou and winning the Champions League will be one of the top priorities for Flick’s Barcelona who have won the two previous La Liga titles.
It has been 11 years since Barcelona last won the tournament and they have reached just two semi-finals in that time.
The club’s record in the post-Messi era has also largely been poor with two group stage exits and two quarter-final departures.
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