Raphinha Equals Messi Record As Barcelona Crush Dortmund In Champions League Rout.
Raphinha matched a long-standing club record set by Lionel Messi as Barcelona stormed to a commanding 4-0 victory over Borussia Dortmund in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash.
The Brazilian forward was in sensational form, scoring once and providing two assists to take his goal involvements in this season’s competition to 19 – equalling the tally Messi recorded during the 2011–12 campaign.
Raphinha opened the scoring midway through the first half, converting from close range after Pau Cubarsí’s effort was trickling towards goal. The move had stemmed from a Fermin López free-kick, awarded in unusual fashion after Karim Adeyemi was penalised for pulling Jules Koundé’s hair.
Barcelona had started the match at a blistering pace, carving out several chances in the opening minutes. Lamine Yamal and Robert Lewandowski both tested Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel, who made a string of fine saves to keep the scoreline respectable early on.
After Raphinha’s opener, Dortmund responded with some attacking threat of their own, with Adeyemi and Serhou Guirassy going close before the interval. But the German side’s hopes were quickly dashed after the break.
Lewandowski struck just three minutes into the second half, finishing from point-blank range after Raphinha’s clever header across goal, which came from a pinpoint cross by Yamal. The Polish striker then added his second – and his 99th goal for the club – in the 66th minute, capping off a rapid counter-attack with a clinical low finish beneath Kobel.
Barcelona were relentless in their pursuit of more goals. Fermin hit the post with a powerful drive and blazed over from close range shortly after, but it was Yamal who completed the rout in the 77th minute. The 16-year-old fired home from Raphinha’s low cross, sealing the Brazilian’s record-equalling assist and rounding off a dominant display.
With the emphatic victory, Barcelona take a significant advantage into the return leg in Germany on Tuesday, 15 April, as they look to secure a place in the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2019.
