Raphinha’s Unbelievable Barcelona Breakthrough: 53 Goal Contributions in 53 Matches
Raphinha has smashed records at Barcelona, delivering an astonishing 53 combined goals and assists in as many games this season. That level of consistency at one of Europe’s biggest clubs is rare, and it shows just how much the former Leeds United winger has evolved.
It wasn’t just the numbers that caught my eye, but the variety of his contributions. From thunderous strikes in El Clásico to perfectly weighted through balls in tight Champions League clashes, Raphinha’s all-around impact has been off the charts.
Yet despite his heroics in Catalonia, Leeds United now stand to lose out on a major payday. With Inter Milan dumping Barcelona out of the Champions League semi-finals and a 7-6 aggregate defeat denying them a final run, those potential bonus clauses and Ballon d’Or windfalls may never materialize for the Elland Road coffers.
Fans Rage Over Shearer’s ‘Blind Spot’ on Raphinha’s Quality
During Amazon Prime’s midweek coverage, Alan Shearer stunned viewers by claiming he never saw this level of talent from Raphinha at Leeds. The jab prompted an immediate backlash, with many supporters accusing Shearer of disrespecting both the player and Marcelo Bielsa’s eye for talent.
One Leeds fan on social media put it bluntly: “This take is so lazy it’s laughable. Raphinha was one of our very best from day one.” I have to agree—any pundit worth their salt should acknowledge the groundwork laid at Elland Road before praising a player’s later exploits.
Another reaction summed it up perfectly: “Shearer is clueless and bitter. Half of Europe wanted Raphinha when we had him.” It’s hard not to side with the fanbase here—dismissing someone who carried a struggling side to safety hardly passes the credibility test for an ex-striker of Shearer’s stature.
Ranking Raphinha Among Leeds United’s 21st Century Legends
Since the turn of the century, Elland Road has seen its fair share of stars, but few have matched Raphinha’s transformative influence. He arrived from Rennes and immediately injected creativity and goals, effectively dragging Leeds clear of relegation fears in 2022.
Only Pablo Hernández, under Marcelo Bielsa’s regime, comes close in recent memory for sheer game-changing moments. But when you stack Raphinha’s end product against the flashy flair of Mark Viduka, Harry Kewell and Lee Bowyer from the early Champions League days, he still holds his own.
In my view, Raphinha belongs in the top three of the Premier League era at Leeds. His combination of technical brilliance and ruthless efficiency lifts him above most, and even if Barcelona’s exit means lost bonuses, his legacy at Elland Road is already cemented.
