Raphinha’s Barcelona rise key to devastating Champions League run

MILAN – Although the anticipated return of Barcelona striker Robert Lewandowski and Inter Milan captain Lautaro Martinez would have lifted the spirits of their teams ahead of the Champions League semi-final second leg on May 6, the spotlight is set to be on Raphinha.

The Barcelona winger has delivered outstanding performances this season, showcasing the crucial role he plays in Hansi Flick’s relentless attacking system ahead of the match, with the tie finely poised at 3-3.

He has recorded 12 goals and nine assists in 13 Champions League matches, compared to their opponents Inter’s 22 goals in the competition this season.

The 28-year-old’s tally has surpassed Argentinian great Lionel Messi’s best-ever total of 19 direct goal involvements (14 goals and five assists) with the Catalan giants in a Champions League campaign.

Throughout the season, the former Leeds winger has tallied 31 goals and 25 assists in 52 appearances across all competitions, as Barcelona pursue a potential quadruple, having already secured the Copa del Rey and the Spanish Super Cup.

The Brazilian winger’s revival is, he said, down to coach Flick.

“The truth is he changed practically everything for me. I was going to leave the club before the season started, the coach was so important in changing my mind, for me to stay at the club,” said Raphinha in April.

“He gave me all the confidence possible for me to do what I am doing, he changed everything, he basically changed my career. I’m doing my best, my best season since I started playing and I owe it all to him.”

Raphinha’s work rate suits Flick’s high-pressing game perfectly, although even the German would not have imagined the Brazilian would become a Ballon d’Or contender during the season.

“Raphinha is very important, I love him, like the other players, but he is a leader, he always has that positive thinking that he manages to pass on to the rest of his teammates,” said Flick, after the winger helped Barca make a late comeback against Celta Vigo in April.

He trails Borussia Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy by one goal in the Champions League scoring charts and it almost came in the first leg against Inter, but for the crossbar.

Raphinha set up Ferran Torres’ goal in that thrilling game and again showed the kind of drive to improve which makes him so valuable in Flick’s young side.

“It is unacceptable to concede so many goals at home,” he said, never shy of speaking his mind.

With much of the focus on prodigy Lamine Yamal after the teenager’s first-leg fireworks, Raphinha will keep on relentlessly chipping away on the left at the San Siro, playing his role to perfection as Barca bid to make the final for the first time since 2015.

Barcelona had to bring on some of their big guns to beat already-relegated Real Valladolid on May 3, while Inter coach Simone Inzaghi managed to rest almost his entire first team in a low-key 1-0 win over Verona.

Defenders Alejandro Balde and Jules Kounde are still out of action for Barca, while Inter defender Benjamin Pavard did return to team training on May 4.

Striker Martinez picked up a hamstring injury during the first leg but, while he is ready to return to action, he may not last the 90 minutes, therefore ramping up the pressure on strike partner Marcus Thuram to help Inter reach their second final in three years.

The pair have scored 39 goals in 92 appearances in all competitions.

Meanwhile, Marko Arnautovic, Mehdi Taremi and Joaquin Correa have netted a combined 11 times, mostly through substitute appearances, with Arnautovic netting seven of those goals.

Evidently, Inter struggled without Thuram as they lost the three domestic fixtures without scoring a goal, going from three points ahead of Napoli at the top of Serie A to three points behind and suffering a miserable cup elimination at the hands of AC Milan.

The Italian side’s hopes of silverware are now on a knife-edge and they will need Thuram and company to repeat their semi-final victory over the same opponents in 2010 to seal a place in the final. AFP