CHAMPIONS LEAGUE 2024/25
Raphinha will seek to extend his lead as the Champions League top scorer
Published:9/04/2025 - 00:29h
Updated:10/04/2025 - 03:54h
Raphinha remains the top scorer of the Champions League with 11 goals in 10 matches and, in the Barça-Dortmund match, will aim to solidify his position as Pichichi
FC Barcelona hosts Borussia Dortmund this Wednesday (21:00 hours) for the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals. In a duel that will test the two main scorers of both teams, Robert Lewandowski and Serhou Guirassy, the current Pichichi of the tournament, Raphinha, will seek to extend his good streak after scoring 11 goals in his first 10 matches.
The Brazilian was the standout player for Barça in the round of 16 against Benfica, scoring 3 of the 4 goals for the team. The '11' scored the winning goal in Lisbon (0-1) and sealed the tie with another brace in the return leg (3-1), where Lamine Yamal also scored. Previously, the Porto Alegre native had 'scored' in the group stage against Young Boys (1), Bayern Munich (3), Red Star (1), Borussia Dortmund (1), and Benfica (2).
Rafa scored the opening goal in the victory against Borussia (2-3) in the sixth matchday of the group stage, a match where Guirassy and Ferran Torres also scored twice. The Barça winger has also provided 5 assists in the tournament, making him the player with the most goal contributions (16). Only Joshua Kimmich (6) has provided more assists than the Barça '11' so far.
| Player | Team | Goals | Matches |
|---|---|---|---|
| Raphinha | FC Barcelona | 11 | 10 |
| Harry Kane | Bayern Munich | 10 | 13 |
| Serhou Guirassy | Borussia Dortmund | 10 | 12 |
| Robert Lewandowski | FC Barcelona | 9 | 10 |
| Erling Haaland | Manchester City | 8 | 9 |
Raphinha needs to step up with Barça
For Raphinha, the match on Wednesday also represents an ideal opportunity to overcome his personal slump with Barça. The forward has struggled to regain his rhythm after the last FIFA date, being a substitute in the last three Copa matches, and in the return leg of the 'semis' against Atlético (0-1) he was also off in finishing, wasting at least two very clear opportunities.
In the press conference prior to the Barça-Dortmund match, Hansi Flick spoke about Rafa's physical condition, ruling out any issues that could affect his performance. "We have tried, after the international break, to get him back. What I see in him during the session is the same as before: he is very active, alert, with good dynamics... He shows that he is ready for tomorrow's match," the coach pointed out.
After his brace against Benfica in the round of 16, the Porto Alegre native provided an assist, in La Liga, against Atlético (2-4). Then came the international break, where things did not go entirely well with Brazil (victory against Colombia 2-1 and defeat against Argentina 4-1). Against Colombia, the Barça winger scored a penalty. With the Albiceleste, he was absent just like the entire attack of the 'scratch'.
