Barcelona and Raphinha emulated Real Madrid and Vinicius Jr., defeating Bayern Munich 4-1 in the Champions League just a day after Real’s 5-2 win over Borussia Dortmund. Both Spanish giants triumphed against German opponents, and both owed much of their victories to their Brazilian stars, with Raphinha scoring a hat-trick just like his compatriot did on Tuesday. It was a special occasions for Raphinha, as it was also his 100th appearance in Barca’s shirt.
Raphinha hat-trick! 🥵#UCL pic.twitter.com/m2HQx1Ze6z
— UEFA Champions League (@ChampionsLeague) October 23, 2024
The Brazilian set the tone for Barcelona’s dominant performance by scoring within the first minute. Robert Lewandowski added to the scoreline against his former team, while Harry Kane managed a consolation goal for Bayern. The match was a special occasion for the current Barcelona manager Hansi Flick, as he led Bayern earlier in his career. It also marked a challenging period for the German side, who suffered their third consecutive away loss in the Champions League—an unprecedented streak.
The upcoming El Clasico on Saturday at the Santiago Bernabeu now looms large, with Barcelona leading La Liga by three points over Real Madrid. Both teams’ midweek European triumphs, powered by stellar displays from Vinicius and Raphinha, set the stage for an exciting showdown between the eternal rivals.