Amidst the sadness of their Champions League defeat, Barcelona face another key challenge in their season today. With Hansi Flick’s side out of the running for the Champions League, all their energy is focused on securing the league title, which they currently lead by four points ahead of Real Madrid. If they manage to pick up three points, they will be well on their way to clinching the title.
To meet this challenge, Barça needs all the weapons at its disposal, and one of its main strengths this season has been its attacking prowess, in which Raphinha has played an important role. The Brazilian is having a season to remember, with Ballon d’Or-worthy statistics.
Amidst the drama of the Champions League, Raphinha made history with his 13th goal in the European competition. With 21 goal contributions, the Brazilian has become the player with the most goal contributions in a single Champions League season, equaling Cristiano Ronaldo.
This is not the only outstanding statistic in a luxury season for Raphinha, who has been involved in 56 goals for Barça this season. In addition, the Barça number 11 has already scored as many goals in the 2024-25 season as he did in his previous three seasons with Barça and Leeds.
Raphinha’s contract renewal
In addition to his statistics, Raphinha has been in the news in recent weeks due to negotiations for the renewal of his contract. There has been speculation that negotiations are progressing slowly due to disagreements over both the money to be received and the duration of the new contract. However, the player himself has sought to send a reassuring message.
The Brazilian spoke ahead of El Clásico and expressed his desire to continue at Barça for several more years. The Brazilian spoke to Movistar Plus ahead of the match and did not hesitate to show his love for the colors he currently defends: “Thinking about reaching the top of football without Barcelona is illogical. Honestly, I’m really enjoying it right now. I never expected it, not even in my dreams,” he said.
He also expressed his desire to renew his contract: “I can’t imagine Barcelona without Raphinha. What’s next?” asked the interviewer. “My renewal,” he replied. The player has a contract until 2027 and is expected to extend it until 2030.
As for this weekend’s Barça-Madrid match, Raphinha was clear. “El Clásico is like a final. It’s a different game, something special. The city comes to a standstill. The whole world watches it.” He also spoke about the build-up, which is always tense: “Until you enter the stadium, everything is very tense before El Clásico. Tension is normal in every game, but this one is more intense.”