Published 07:43 IST, October 24th 2024
'Most In Form Player In The World...': Raphinha Hailed For Heroics During Barcelona vs Bayern Munich
Raphinha's exceptional performance against Bayern Munich has earned him widespread praise as one of the most in-form players globally.
Barcelona won the UEFA Champions League with a dominant 4-1 victory, surpassing Bayern Munich in a thriller at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys. Raphinha stole the show with a trifecta of goals in the first, 45th, and 56th minute, thereby assuring Barcelona's joyful win and spiking their spirits. Robert Lewansky struck for Bayern Munich in the 36th minute and Harry Kane scored an 18th-minute marker. Barcelona showed a great performance with 12 shots and 4 on target; Bayern Munich struggled, with 11 shots and 3 on target, although keeping 61% possession. Barcelona ended the game with a well-earned victory, which prepared the ground for more alluring action from both teams in the next weeks.
Fans react to Raphinha’s heroics for Barcelona against Bayern Munich
Celebrating Raphinha's historic hattrick, fans shattered the internet, praising his outstanding performance against Bayern Munich. His amazing performance left fans humming with appreciation and enthusiasm for his great skill.
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.
Raphinha’s demolition job on the Bayern defense also means plaudits for Flick, who was the comprehensive winner against his old team, Bayern, with whom Flick beat Barcelona 8-2 in 2020.
The loss throws Bayern’s season under new coach Vincent Kompany into turmoil.
Bayern began its Champions League campaign with a record-breaking 9-2 demolition of Croatia’s Dinamo Zagreb but is now 23rd in the Champions League standings, one place below Zagreb, after back-to-back losses to Aston Villa and Barcelona. Across all competitions, Bayern has won just one of its last five games.
The ease with which Raphinha was able to exploit gaps in the back line could reopen questions about whether Bayern, which has now conceded seven goals in its last three games, remains fragile in defense.
(With AP Inputs)
Updated 07:43 IST, October 24th 2024