Barcelona superstar determined to play a part in El Clasico vs Real Madrid | OneFootball

On Sunday night, FC Barcelona host arch-rivals Real Madrid in the second La Liga El Clasico of the season.

It could be a historic occasion as Barça need only one point from the game to be crowned the champions of Spain for the second consecutive season. Doing so against Los Blancos will make the triumph even sweeter.

Raphinha determined to feature in Clasico

No player wants to miss a Clasico, but if there is one who is especially motivated for this match, it is Raphinha, reports MARCA.

The Brazilian international received medical clearance last week after recovering from a hamstring injury. Although he did not play any minutes against Osasuna, he is confident of having an opportunity on Sunday.

Raphinha is a key player for Hansi Flick. His intensity, competitive character and commitment make him an almost indispensable figure, particularly in a match such as the Clasico.

On this occasion, with La Liga at stake, the tension and significance are even greater. As such, the Brazilian is determined to be involved and to once again demonstrate his impact against Real Madrid.

Raphinha’s exceptional numbers vs Real Madrid

Raphinha thrives against Real Madrid. (Photo by Yasser Bakhsh/Getty Images)

Raphinha has a particularly strong record against Real Madrid. Indeed, they are the opponent he has faced the most times in his career (12), the one against whom he has scored the most goals (7) and, notably, the one he has defeated most often (8, level with Atletico Madrid).

The seven goals he has scored against Real Madrid, all playing for Barcelona, have come in his last five meetings with them, underlining his strong performances in these encounters.

During the 2024/25 season, Raphinha made his mark in the first La Liga Clasico, scoring in Barcelona’s 0-4 victory at the Bernabeu and also providing an assist.

He was again decisive in the Spanish Super Cup final in January 2025, scoring twice and providing another assist in a 2-5 win. Although he did not score in the Copa del Rey final, he played a key role in the second league meeting, scoring twice in a 4-3 victory.

In the current campaign, the Brazilian missed the league fixture in Madrid due to injury. However, he was fully fit for the Super Cup final and scored two of his team’s three goals and was named MVP, as he had been in the previous edition.

In summary, if Raphinha features in the upcoming Clasico, he is likely to be one of the key figures in the match. His record and confidence position him as one of Barcelona’s main attacking threats against Real Madrid.