Tag: Raphinha

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick celebrated the return of winger Raphinha from injury on Friday as the Catalans close in on the Spanish title.

Flick’s team are 11 points clear of second-place Real Madrid and can win a second successive La Liga title this weekend if they beat Osasuna on Saturday and Los Blancos drop points at out of form Espanyol the following day.

Raphinha suffered a hamstring injury while playing for Brazil in March, which left him sidelined as Barcelona were knocked out of the Champions League by Atletico Madrid in the quarter-finals.

Barca face Real Madrid on May 10 in a Clasico which could seal their title defence if they do not clinch it this weekend, and are still in with a chance of matching the all-time record of 100 points in a Spanish league campaign.

“Rapha is a player who always gives us 100 percent, when he’s on the pitch or in training,” Flick told reporters.

“His mentality, his attitude, is always 100 percent and that helps us a lot. This season he has… had to suffer (from injury) so for us it’s important to have him back.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

“He will also travel with us and we’ll see what happens tomorrow… I think also for the team it’s great to have him back, because he’s one of our captains, he’s positive and can give us these things that we need.”

Barca are without injured teenage star Lamine Yamal, with Flick saying the 18-year-old is recovering well from the hamstring problem which will keep him out until the end of the season.

“He’s doing good, so the evolution is good, I think we will see him in the World Cup,” said Flick.

“He has time, more time, to recover, to come back. And this is what he wants.”

If Barca win their remaining five league matches they will reach the 100-point record first set by Jose Mourinho’s Real Madrid in 2012 and then matched by Tito Vilanova’s Barcelona side in 2013.

“We are only focussed on the next match, (but) of course we want to win every game between now and the end of the season,” said Flick.

“For me it would be perfect when we can win every game, but also we have tough opponents. Our job is, in every match, to play on our best level, to learn from the game for the next game and for our training.

“So this is our philosophy, our attitude, our mentality.”

READ: Pakistan move up in latest ICC Men’s Test Rankings

Barcelona will be without winger Raphinha for the Copa del Rey clash at second-tier Albacete on Tuesday because of a thigh strain, and coach Hansi Flick said something had to “change” regarding the Brazilian’s preparation.

Raphinha’s injury, sustained in the win over Elche on Saturday in La Liga, is expected to keep him out for only a week, but Flick was notably upset by the issue.

The winger missed two months with a hamstring injury earlier this season and is a key player for the Spanish champions.

“To be honest I’m not happy with this, really, because he’s a very important player,” Flick told a news conference Monday.

“We have to see what we have to change and also what he has to change. We’ll speak about that in the next days because it’s important.

“This is the important phase in the season, we need every player to be able to play and when he’s out, it’s not good.”

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Barcelona have not lost a match this season, which Raphinha has started.

Albacete defeated Real Madrid in the previous round of the competition, and Flick said he was not surprised.

“This is why we love (cup games), there are sometimes unexpected results,” said the coach.

“Of course it’s like that — they have nothing to lose, they have only to win.”

According to Spanish reports German goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, on loan at Girona, has suffered a hamstring injury which could keep him out for two months.

“I didn’t speak with him but I’m very sorry for him, but we have to wait for the results and we’ll see what happened,” added Flick.

Ter Stegen has played two games for Girona after joining them in January until the end of the season.

READ: PSL 11: PCB finalises five bidders for Multan Sultans auction

Barcelona winger Raphinha signed a contract extension until 2028 on Thursday after a spectacular season.

The Brazilian, whose previous deal was set to expire in 2027, was vital as Barcelona won a domestic treble of La Liga, the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.

“Barcelona and Raphinha have reached an agreement for the renewal of his contract, which will link him to the club until June 30, 2028,” said the Catalan giants in a statement.

Raphinha, a candidate to win the Ballon d’Or, has scored 34 goals and provided 25 assists in 56 matches across all competitions.

The 28-year-old is the joint top goalscorer in the Champions League with 13, but Barcelona were knocked out in a thrilling semi-final tie against Inter Milan.

He netted a hat-trick in Barca’s group stage win over Bayern Munich and a brace in the recent Clasico win over Real Madrid, which took Barca to the verge of their La Liga conquest.

Raphinha’s contract renewal follows coach Hansi Flick’s on Wednesday, with the German penning a new deal until 2027.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Teenage winger Lamine Yamal, 17, is also expected to sign a new contract in the coming weeks.

His agent Jorge Mendes told reporters “he will renew (his deal) soon”, after having lunch with Yamal on the outskirts of Barcelona on Thursday.

Raphinha and Yamal have been devastating on the flanks for Barcelona, either side of veteran striker Robert Lewandowski.

The Catalans have scored 99 goals in 37 La Liga matches and are hoping to pass a century on Sunday when they visit Athletic Bilbao in the last match of the season.

Raphinha arrived in 2022 from Leeds United for around £55 million ($74 million) and helped Barcelona win La Liga in his first season.

However, he came close to leaving the club after a disappointing 2023-24 campaign, but was convinced to stay by Flick.

READ: ICC reveals match officials for WTC final

Robert Lewandowski and Raphinha struck twice each as Barcelona romped to a 5-1 win at Villarreal on Sunday in a wild match to maintain their perfect start to La Liga.

The leaders’ sixth straight league triumph was marred by a potentially serious knee injury to goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, who was taken off on a stretcher.

Lewandowski netted Barcelona’s first two goals and later missed a penalty in a thoroughly entertaining battle on Spain’s east coast at Villarreal’s Estadio de la Ceramica.

Ayoze Perez pulled his team back into the game shortly before half-time and the hosts had two goals disallowed, with Pablo Torre and Raphinha’s strikes cementing Barcelona’s victory.

After second-placed Real Madrid thrashed Espanyol 4-1 on Saturday the Catalans were able to restore a four-point lead on the champions.

“It’s very important for us that we played a game away from home, we scored five goals and in the end we have three points,” said Lewandowski.

“In the end, it doesn’t matter how, as long as we win that’s perfect.”

Flick gave Eric Garcia another start in defensive midfield despite his early red card against Monaco in the Champions League midweek.

The German coach also started reserve team players Gerard Martin and Sergi Dominguez, as well as playmaker Torre in place of the injured Dani Olmo.

Teenage star Lamine Yamal hit the post early on before Lewandowski slotted home in the 20th minute after Torre slipped him in.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Villarreal goalkeeper Diego Conde did well to keep out a bundled effort from the Polish striker but Lewandowski pounced after 35 minutes for his second.

Conde saved Garcia’s header well but the former Bayern Munich hitman converted the rebound with an acrobatic finish from close range.

It was his sixth La Liga goal of the season, taking him two clear of Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe in Spain’s Golden Boot race.

Villarreal were frequently threatening on the counter and Perez gave them a lifeline after the electric Nicolas Pepe set him up.

Ter Stegen thwarted Pepe with a sensational save one-on-one before half-time but the German was soon stricken as he fell badly after catching a corner before the break and was replaced by Inaki Pena.

Pepe finished brilliantly early in the second half but his effort was disallowed for a marginal offside call, and Yeremy Pino hit the bar with a header as Marcelino Garcia Toral’s side drove Barcelona back.

Torre extended Barca’s lead with a deflected strike from the edge of the box, a killer blow given Villarreal’s momentum.

Lewandowski hit the post from the spot after Eric Bailly scythed down Yamal and Villarreal’s Thierno Barry had a goal ruled out for offside.

Raphinha ended any hopes of a home comeback, first with a deflected shot and then finishing after a superb Yamal pass left him with just Conde to beat.

Despite the emphatic victory and 100 percent start, if Ter Stegen’s injury proves to be severe it could dent Barcelona’s title hopes.

READ: Iftikhar Ahmed acknowledges need for Pakistan to adopt attacking mindset

Brazil winger Raphinha scored a hat-trick as Barcelona thrashed Real Valladolid 7-0 on Saturday to make it four wins from four in La Liga under new coach Hansi Flick.

While bitter rivals Real Madrid have stumbled early following the much-trumpeted arrival of Kylian Mbappe, Barcelona are off to a flying start despite their continued financial difficulties.

They are also missing Frenkie de Jong, Gavi and Ronald Araujo but have a maximum 12 points heading into the international break, leaving them seven clear of Madrid who face Real Betis on Sunday.

“We’re growing as a team. I think it’s a very good start to the season,” said Barcelona captain Marc-Andre ter Stegen.

“I’m proud of how things are going… hopefully we can continue like that in the next weeks.”

Barcelona’s best start to a La Liga campaign came in 2013-14 when they started the season with eight straight wins, although they were pipped to the title that year by Atletico Madrid.

Raphinha opened the scoring for Barcelona at the Olympic Stadium on 20 minutes as he chested down a pass from Pau Cubarsi and flicked elegantly into the far corner with the outside of his left boot.

Robert Lewandowski soon doubled the lead when he latched onto a ball through from Lamine Yamal and squeezed a shot past Valladolid goalkeeper Karl Hein, on loan from Arsenal.

Jules Kounde made it three before half-time when a corner dropped to the France defender inside the area and he stabbed into the top corner while off-balance.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Raphinha had a simple tap-in from close range just past the hour, with Lewandowski and Yamal involved before the ball broke kindly for the Brazilian.

He completed his treble on 72 minutes following a brilliant burst forward from Yamal, who then slid through a delightful pass for Raphinha to stroke home.

Dani Olmo, who got the winner midweek at Rayo Vallecano, on his debut, struck with his final touch after twice hitting the post and having a goal disallowed for offside.

The Spain international danced past a series of defenders and rolled in Barcelona’s sixth. He missed Barcelona’s first two games this term with the club unable to register him as they struggled to meet La Liga’s strict financial rules.

Raphinha rounded off a glittering performance with an assist for Ferran Torres as Barcelona hit a seventh, fizzing in a cross from the left for the substitute to steer home in clinical fashion.

Atletico snatched a 1-0 victory away to Athletic Bilbao as Angel Correa scored in stoppage time to send Diego Simeone’s side up to second, four points adrift of Barcelona.

Espanyol came from behind to win 2-1 at home to Rayo Vallecano with Tottenham loanee Alejo Veliz striking in the sixth minute of added time.

Ayoze Perez’s equaliser ensured Villarreal remained unbeaten, but they had to settle for a 1-1 draw against a Valencia side that had lost each of their first three games.

Mallorca picked up their first win of the season by beating Leganes 1-0.

READ: Dwayne Bravo set to retire from CPL after 2024 season

BARCELONA: Brazilian winger Raphinha steered Barcelona to a 1-0 victory over Las Palmas during the La Liga 2023-24 clash here at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on Saturday.

The Catalans closed the gap with La Liga leaders Real Madrid with a difference of five points after sinking 12th-ranked Las Palmas.

Raphinha earned the advantage for Barcelona in the 19th minute however the goal was overruled due to offside.

Despite not getting a breakthrough, the home side dominated throughout the first half and kept challenging Las Palmas’ defence.

Watch La Liga 2023/24 Live on ARY ZAP

Meanwhile, Las Palmas’ struggles doubled in the 24th minute as their goalkeeper, Alvaro Valles received a red card in the 24th minute for taking out Raphinha who was headed towards an open net.

The first half ended without any goals, but Barcelona continued to create chances. Eventually, Joao Felix passed the ball over the defenders to Raphinha, who headed it past the goalkeeper and scored the match-winner.

Notably, Barcelona are unbeaten in 11 games since their coach Xavi Hernandez said that he would leave at the end of the season and their recent form has given them some faint hope of retaining their title.

Follow us on our Official WhatsApp channel

Leaders Real Madrid will face Athletic Bilbao on Sunday at the Santiago Bernabeu, aiming to restore their eight-point advantage on the Catalans in second.

“They’re three important points, we know they will be important at the end of the season,” Raphinha told Movistar.

“We’ll keep fighting until the end and we won’t give up until the league is over.”

READ: Babar Azam reinstated as Pakistan’s white-ball captain