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FC Barcelona v Deportivo Alaves - LaLiga EA Sports 2026/27Getty Images Sport
Hussein Hamdy
Translated by

Raphinha's surge piles more pressure on Mbappé: will the Real Madrid star respond?

Raphinha
Barcelona vs Deportivo Alaves
Barcelona
Deportivo Alaves
LaLiga
Racing Santander vs Real Madrid
Racing Santander
Real Madrid
Brazil
Spain

Exciting competition in La Liga

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Brazilian Raphinha has rediscovered his scoring touch. He's closing in on his best form, and once again he's one of the decisive men in Hansi Flick's Barcelona this season.

The shift has been remarkable. From a makeshift out-and-out striker, Raphinha has become a genuine contender for the top of the La Liga scoring charts, taking his tally to 15 goals in the competition and 17 across all tournaments after his brace against Alaves. That double piled the pressure back onto France's Kylian Mbappe, who had closed the gap during the Clasico.

According to Spanish newspaper "AS", Raphinha found himself in the right place to follow in the first goal, then added the second with a stunning strike.

Fermin Lopez laid on both with two decisive assists, and he was one of the standout performers against the Basque side himself.

The Brazilian buzzed all afternoon, troubling the Alaves defence with his constant movement and runs in behind. He was a permanent source of concern for the opponent.

Once the result was settled, Raphinha came off shortly before the 70th minute, replaced by Gabriel Jesus.

Flick wanted him fresh for the next two matches: Aston Villa in the Champions League on Tuesday, then Atletico Madrid next Sunday.

His numbers told the story. Raphinha finished with three shots and a 100% pass completion rate (13 from 13). He touched the ball 23 times, lost possession on four occasions and recovered it once.

Fears on the horizon

Barcelona and Flick are celebrating Raphinha's return towards full fitness. But the delight at the Brazilian's level comes with a familiar worry, one tied to the upcoming international break that lands straight after the Atletico Madrid clash.

Brazil's call-ups are a headache for Barcelona. Raphinha faces an arduous round trip of around 22,000 kilometres to travel to Singapore.

That exhausting journey comes at a sensitive moment, just as the Brazilian begins to find his usual level again following his recovery from his latest injury.

Flick remembers all too well what happened during the previous international break, when Raphinha came back carrying physical problems that kept him from peak fitness before the matches against Paris Saint-Germain and the Clasico.

Keenly aware of how much Raphinha matters to the team's competitive level, the German coach has asked for his minutes to be managed carefully once he joins up with Brazil.

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