Raphinha Hat-Trick Powers Barcelona to Decisive 4-1 Victory Over Bayern Munich in Champions League
Thanks to Raphinha’s stuuning hat-trick, Barcelona defeated Bayern Munich 4-1 in a high-profile Champions League group stage match on Wednesday, ending their six-game losing run.
At the Olympic Stadium, the Catalans, who had failed to score in their previous four games against Bayern, outperformed the six-time European champions. Harry Kane of England scored Bayern’s lone goal, while Robert Lewandowski also scored for Barcelona.
Robert Lewandowski and Harry Kane of England scored goals for the visitors as the Catalans, who had lost their previous six games against Bayern, outperformed the six-time champions at the Olympic Stadium. After ten years of despair, the Catalans’ decisive victory under coach Hansi Flick, who oversaw the Bundesliga team in an embarrassing 8-2 thumping of Barca in 2020, suggested they could be able to win the title for the first time since 2015.
Barcelona has two wins and is in the top third of the standings, while Bayern has only won one of their first three group games and is now in the bottom half.
“In my opinion this game could have been a (Champions League) final, to be able to win it in this way, so well, in front of our fans, is quite special and I leave here happy,” Raphinha stated to Movistar.
“Getting the second victory in the Champions League was important and now we have to think about the game on Saturday.”
Barcelona prepared spectacularly for this weekend’s La Liga Clasico matchup against Real Madrid, the European and Spanish champions.
“If you win this type of game you have to celebrate it, and for the team it’s incredible,” Flick added.
“It gives us confidence to believe in ourselves ahead of Saturday.”
Fermin Lopez played Raphinha in behind the visitors’ high line, giving Barcelona the lead within a minute despite the fact that they had not scored in their previous four games against Bayern.
Wearing the captain’s armband with pride, the Brazilian winger, who was making his 100th appearance for the team since signing from Leeds, remained composed to dribble around Manuel Neuer and roll home.
In response, Bayern charged forward, and Kane equalized in the eighteenth minute when a goal was disallowed for a close offside.
With Barcelona’s defense at a loss, the attacker converted acrobatically from Serge Gnabry’s tempting cross.
Lewandowski, a former Bayern striker, missed a shot, and Lamine Yamal went in to challenge Neuer but saw the ball go beyond the post as Barcelona regained their composure and started to pose a threat.
Lopez was charging into space in Bayern territory when Joshua Kimmich took him out, earning him a booking.
The dynamic midfielder for Barcelona set up Lewandowski for his team’s second goal. Lopez knocked the ball across for Lewandowski to turn home after leaving Kim Min-jae for dead with a deft push, about which Bayern complained without success.
After a difficult season, the 36-year-old veteran Polish striker has benefited greatly from Flick’s arrival. He currently has 15 goals in 13 games.
After Marc Casado extended the play to the left flank and arced a shot through Dayot Upamecano’s legs and out of Neuer’s reach at full stretch, the irrepressible Raphinha drove into the box and scored an incredible third goal before the half.
Ten minutes into the second half, Raphinha accomplished his hat-trick by beautifully controlling Yamal’s daring pass on his chest during the dash and then launching a rasping effort into the bottom right corner from the box’s edge.
In response, Vincent Kompany, the coach of Bayern, made four substitutions, bringing on Leon Goretzka, Kingsley Coman, Leroy Sane, and Jamal Musiala.
As Bayern chased the ball, Barcelona’s supporters started applauding their team’s passes after they were ahead 4-1.
Raphinha remarked, “For the fans, I think it was revenge,” in reference to Bayern’s victories over Barcelona.
“As a fan I suffered through those games too.”
At full time, his teammates threw the winger up in the air while he was still holding his match ball.
Catalonia, who haven’t advanced to the Champions League semifinals since 2019, is beginning to believe that Flick could help them regain their place among Europe’s best.
The previous season’s semi-finalists, Bayern, were left reeling.
“Everyone on the team gave it their all. “Effort is undeniable, but today, 100 percent was insufficient,” Kompany said.
“We had the impression that we could win this game in the first half.
“But in key moments we got outdone and for that reason the result is fairly heavy.”
