Raphinha shines in centre-forward role | OneFootball

Raphinha struck twice in a makeshift centre-forward role as Barcelona opened their Champions League campaign with a home win, the Brazilian captain leading from the front.

According to Goal.com, the brace continued his blistering start, taking him to eight goals in five matches this season.

His opener saw him leave two defenders on the turf after a sharp cutback. The second arrived from a well-timed run to finish from Pedri's pass.

Post-match, the 29-year-old said playing in front of their fans demands near-perfect football, adding that controlling the game from the start gave the side confidence. He also stressed the need to keep standards high across a long campaign.

Raphinha described how he urged Lamine Yamal on after noticing the teenager lose focus during a frustrating spell, words that came before Yamal scored from a free-kick. He celebrated with the winger and said the goal should help him.

Asked about being left off the Ballon d'Or shortlist, he shut the topic down and kept the focus on Barcelona's collective aims. His display underlined his influence amid high expectations this season.

Source: Goal.com

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