Roberto Lewandowski looks set for his best season in La Liga under a man who coached him at Bayern Munich. But how has the Polish striker been aided by Barca’s dynamic duo on the wings?
Raphinha has resurrected his career with the Blaugrana under Hansi Flick. He has emerged as one of the best wingers in the world, contributing with goals and assists. Lamine Yamal continues to be a sensation at just 17 years of age. These two are fueling Barcelona which should interest bettors.
Market | Odds |
|---|---|
Barcelona vs Las Palmas - Raphinha to Score or Assist | |
Barcelona vs Las Palmas - Yamal to Score or Assist | |
Barcelona vs Las Palmas - Lewandowski to Score | |
Champions League Top Scorer - Robert Lewandowski |
Odds courtesy of bet365. Correct at time of publishing and subject to change.
Heading 1: Raphinha Finally Finds his Feet at Camp Nou
Brazilian winger Raphinha joined Barcelona for a hefty fee from Leeds in July 2022. Despite interest from multiple clubs, the Catalans were the ones who got the deal done.
Under Xavi, the winger rarely completed 90 minutes and his performances suffered from his low confidence. In November, Raphinha said, “When there was Xavi (as manager), I already knew that I was going to come off in the 60th minute.”
Flick has shown faith in the Brazilian and it has certainly paid off. Raphinha has netted eight goals in La Liga, making him the fourth top scorer in the division. He also has the second most assists with six. The wide player is also battling it out for the top scorer award in the Champions League having scored five goals in five matches. He’s added two assists in Europe for good measure.
After his blistering start to the current campaign, Raphinha now ranks highly on several key metrics compared to all other attacking midfielders and wingers across Europe’s top five leagues over the past 12 months.
The Brazilian is in the top 1% for non-penalty xG and xAG (expected assisted goals) per 90 minutes played. He also ranks in the 96th percentile for shots per 90 and the 89th percentile for shot-creating actions. It’s a formidable record but he isn’t operating alone.
Heading 2: Youthful Yamal is Crucial
Injury has kept Lamine Yamal from the pitch since before the international break. He was a loss for La Roja but his absence has been felt even more keenly by his club.
Yamal’s has eight assists to his name so far this season, the most in the Spanish top flight. His quick feet, exceptional pace and ability to cut inside on his stronger foot make him a potent goal threat. Lamine has five league goals to add to his assists tally. In his absence, Barcelona have only taken one point from a possible nine in La Liga.
Like Raphinha, Yamal also has impressive underlying data. He has an average xAG of 0.34 per 90 minutes over the last 12 months. The winger also ranks in the top 10% for both progressive passes received and successful take-on.
Heading 3: Lewandowski Reaping the Rewards
Robert Lewandowski is scoring a hatful of goals as the focal point of Barcelona’s dynamic attack. He has stormed into the lead in the race for the Pichichi by netting 15 goals in La Liga. The price on him to be the league’s top scorer is now too short but there is still time to back him to top the charts in the Champions League.
The Polish striker has scored seven goals in five European games from an xG of 5.79. Lewandowski has bagged 12 goals in his last 10 games for Barcelona and will continue to get chances with Raphinha and Yamal delivering the goods.
Erling Haaland is currently the only player with a shorter price than Lewandowski to top the Champions League scoring charts. The Barcelona man will also face stiff competition from Harry Kane but Lewa has the advantage after matchday five. The early signs are that he can best his rivals if the Blaugrana make it to the latter stages.