.
Two more goals in the second leg brought his Champions League tally for the season up to 11. In doing so, he became the leader among Brazilian players for most goals in a single Champions League campaign. Not Rivaldo, Ronaldinho, Neymar, Kaka, Ronaldo… Raphinha. Truly in the form of his life, he’s making his case for the Ballon d’Or if Barcelona get over the line in Europe and domestically.
Not only is he making history among the greats from his country, but he’s got his sights set on overtaking Barcelona’s greatest ever player, and the greatest to ever do it: Lionel Messi.
Messi’s record for most goals by a Barcelona player in a Champions League campaign came back in 2011-12 when he scored 14 goals. He also scored 12 during the 2010-11 and 2018-19 seasons in Europe.
Three more goals would see him over take Messi for the best goalscoring season by a Barcelona player. After that, it’s chasing down his teammate, Robert Lewandowski, former Real Madrid striker Karim Benzema, and the greatest player in UCL history: Cristiano Ronaldo.
As long as he stays fit and Barcelona continue performing to the level they’ve shown in the league phase and round of 16, he’s in prime position to do so. No matter who advances, either Borussia Dortmund or Lille, the Catalans will be favored to make the semifinals. There, a potential showdown with Hansi Flick’s former side, Bayern Munich, awaits.
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