FC Barcelona won 3-1 away at FC Seville in Liga. Trailing after a goal from Fofana in the 18th minute, the Catalans completely turned the match around thanks to a hat-trick from Raphinha, scored in three stages: the equalizer as early as the 21st minute, followed by a brace that flipped the match in the second half.
With this hat-trick, the Brazilian international takes his total to 12 goals in Liga this season, after just seven matchdays, which places him at the top of the league's top scorers' standings. Adding his brace against Feyenoord in the Champions League, Raphinha now reaches 14 goals across all competitions.
The Raphinha card
This output is not simply a scheduling accident. Since the summer, Hansi Flick has turned Raphinha into a central striker, following Robert Lewandowski's departure and the failed pursuit of Julian Alvarez. The Brazilian winger has been repositioned as a number nine, a choice Flick justified by pointing to both his intensity in pressing and his efficiency in front of goal.
The club has also reinforced its trust in the player by naming him captain this season, while extending his contract until 2030.
The Catalan press has widely praised this new version of Raphinha. The newspaper Sport summed up the transformation with a striking phrase:
Barça's number 9 wears number 11.
For its part, Mundo Deportivo highlighted his ability to shine both on the wings and around the opposing box.
A Barça still perfect in the league
FC Barcelona remains alone at the top of Liga with 21 points out of a possible 21 after seven matchdays, ahead of Real Madrid, second with 15 points. Raphinha, the league's top scorer, thus confirms an exceptional individual start to the season, in perfect harmony with his team's flawless run.
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