Barcelona’s game against Bayern Munich was billed as a duel between Harry Kane and Robert Lewandowski. Then Raphinha stole the show and left to a standing ovation.
Kane and Lewandowski both scored, but the Brazilian winger’s hat trick for Barcelona outshone both of the strikers in Barcelona’s 4-1 statement win in the Champions League on Wednesday.
“I have a fantastic team, and the players are unbelievable. But I’ve never had a player like Raphinha, because he’s incredibly dynamic both with and without the ball,” Barcelona coach Hansi Flick said. “Every single team needs him, but we have him.”
Raphinha joined a select group of players who’ve scored hat tricks against Bayern in the Champions League - only Cristiano Ronaldo, Sergio Aguero and Roy Makaay had done it before.
“He always gives 100% in good and bad times. He’s working just as hard and giving everything for all his teammates. I’m so happy for him tonight,” defender Jules Koundé said of Raphinha.
Each of his three goals stood out in its own way. First, Raphinha darted in behind Bayern’s defense to score in the very first minute, then he shot the ball between defender Dayot Upamecano’s legs to score his second just before halftime.
The third goal saw Raphinha display his technique to control Lamine Yamal’s cross-field pass on his chest and exploit the gap between two defenders before completing the hat trick.
Barcelona’s fans were again on their feet to applaud when Raphinha, who had also captained the team because of Marc-André ter Stegen’s injury, was substituted in the 75th, leaving him a little fresher for Saturday’s “Clasico” against Real Madrid.
