Raphinha scores twice in Barcelona’s five-goal win after switching to striker

Brazilian Raphinha led Barcelona to a 5-1 win over Dutch side Feyenoord at Camp Nou in their Champions League opener, scoring twice to take his tally to 8 goals in the first 5 matches of the season after coach Hansi Flick moved him from the wing to the striker position.

An attacking solution after Lewandowski and Torres departures

After the rest period following the World Cup, Flick told Raphinha he wanted to try him as a centre-forward in training. The 29-year-old offered an indication that the experiment could succeed against Feyenoord, particularly with his first goal, when he used a feint to get past the Dutch side’s defenders before shooting into the net.

Pace through the middle and pressing from the front

Raphinha’s deployment in a central attacking role relies on his pace and ability to run in behind defensive lines, rather than keeping him close to the touchline. His positioning inside the penalty area also allows Barcelona to benefit from Lamine Yamal’s movement on the right wing: Yamal draws defenders toward the flank, while Raphinha makes diagonal runs into the available spaces.

The new position gives Raphinha a key role in pressing opponents’ build-up immediately after possession is lost. Flick uses his energy to lead the counter-press, alongside his vertical runs and attempts to beat the offside trap.

From the wing to leading Barcelona

Raphinha joined Barcelona from Leeds United in the summer of 2022 as a right winger. After competing with Ousmane Dembele and then seeing Lamine Yamal emerge in the same position, he moved to the left wing before switching to centre-forward this season.

Flick and Barcelona’s players chose Raphinha as the team’s first captain this season. After the Feyenoord match, the coach defended his player over his omission from the award’s shortlist, saying the team could not change the list.