“I’ve dreamed of nights like these since I joined this club,” Raphinha said in the mixed zone of Barcelona’s temporary home, the Estadi Olimpic Lluis Companys.

The Brazilian had just led Barca to a 4-1 win over Bayern Munich and had certainly produced the best performance of his career: he scored a hat-trick, received the Man of the Match award and left the pitch standing with 15 minutes left Ovation.

Nobody at Barca could have dreamed of such a performance from the 27-year-old a few months ago.

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The briefing: Barcelona 4 Bayern Munich 1 – Raphinha’s hat trick gives Hansi Flick a triumphant evening against his former club

Raphinha is one of several players who have made a big leap forward under coach Hansi Flick. Robert Lewandowski has scored 15 goals in 13 games this season and is back to his best. Pedri has gone from three injury-prone seasons to a midfielder who dominates games for fun. Even Inigo Martinez has developed from a fringe player to a starting center back.

But Raphinha’s transformation is the most impressive of all. Over the last two summers, he has been one of the players Barca have been willing to listen to offers for. Now he is thriving as a striker in Flick’s system.

Raphinha has played either as a number 10 behind Lewandowski or as a left winger this season. These roles would have been an odd fit when he arrived from Leeds United in 2021, but they have helped him register 17 goal involvements (nine goals, eight assists) in 13 games this season.

The graphic below shows how crucial he was to Barca’s attack against Bayern, with the most advanced runs and the most involvement in attacking sequences.

“The trust I feel from the coach is very important to explain my good form,” Raphinha said before the game. “But I also understood that I have to adapt to other positions if I want to play for this club.”

That seemed to be referring to Lamine Yamal’s breakthrough 2023-24 season. The teenager’s rise posed a challenge for Raphinha as he secured the Brazilian’s starting spot as a right winger.

After leading Spain to European Championship success in the summer, no one could doubt Yamal’s fundamental role at Barca. Raphinha quickly processed this and understood that he had to perform in new roles that he had not explored before.

Many of his characteristics mean he fits Flick’s philosophy like a glove. His intense high pressing allows other players like Lewandowski to take a back seat in this regard. He is versatile and dynamic and has the technical ability to work well with his teammates.

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Raphinha’s reinvention at Barcelona: Hansi Flick has developed his athleticism

But the biggest difference is his confidence – that was evident in every one of his goals against Bayern.

A minute into the game, Raphinha was confident enough to go around goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, despite all the possible embarrassment a missed shot could have caused, before firing into an empty net.

For UK viewers:

Barcelona leads against Bayern Munich within a minute through Raphinha 🤯

What a season he is having 👏

📺 @tntsports & @discoveryplusUK pic.twitter.com/Z7XIFPjgy6

– Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) October 23, 2024

For US viewers:

AN ELECTRIC START! ⚡️

Less than a minute into the game, Raphinha scores for Barcelona 💥 pic.twitter.com/p8cCf64RF5

— CBS Sports Golazo ⚽️ (@CBSSportsGolazo) October 23, 2024

His second goal was the kind that a player only scores when he’s in full swing. He cut inside onto his weaker right foot on the edge of the penalty area before curling the shot between the legs of defender Dayot Upamecano and into the only part of the net Neuer couldn’t reach.

On his third and final attempt, he took a superb ball from Yamal with his chest, held off two defenders and finished with his left foot – and at that point no one at Lluis Companys doubted that he would score again.

Club sources – who, like everyone mentioned in this article, have asked to remain anonymous to protect relationships – point to some changes in Raphinha over the last two seasons that have infused him with this confidence.

They say he feels liberated now because he knows he has a good chance of finishing the Games and showing his full potential. Raphinha has been frustrated in the past that he was usually the first to be substituted in the second half of the game, regardless of his performance. He has played the full 90 minutes in eight of 10 La Liga games this season – compared to just four of a possible 28 games in the last one.

Another big change was the revamp of Barca’s physical training department under the leadership of sporting director Deco. Raphinha previously felt his standards were not being met in this department, which led to him hiring a personal fitness trainer and physiotherapist from outside the club. He has now stopped working with outside professionals after being so impressed with the new staff led by former Chelsea and Juventus physiotherapist Julio Tous.

Raphinha has found his place on the pitch and in the dressing room. Before the start of the season, he was the players’ most popular choice to become one of the team captains following the departure of former captain Sergi Roberto. This news surprised fans, but it didn’t take long for them to realize what a great role model Raphinha is for this team.

24 – Barcelona’s starting XI tonight had an average age of 24 years and 185 days; The youngest win by a team to ever beat Bayern Munich in a UEFA Champions League match. Masia. pic.twitter.com/Zq29SJOuAV

– OptaJoe (@OptaJoe) October 23, 2024

In a starting XI that included bright minds like Lewandowski (36 years old), Martinez (33) and Raphinha himself, Barcelona’s average age was 24 years and 185 days. There are a lot of young people on Flick’s team, but this new generation needs veterans to look up to and connect with.

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Flick’s quick start in Barcelona: avoiding the “Entorno”, discipline, a secret meeting with Xavi

Raphinha is exactly that figure, with close relationships in the dressing room with young players Yamal, Alejandro Balde, Fermin Lopez and Marc Casado.

“It’s time to forget the past and think more about the present we have,” said the Brazilian in the mixed zone. “This is a young team but full of talent and great players. The locker room is ready to move on. I’m just super happy to be here.”

Last night Barca fans showed him that the feeling is finally mutual.

(Top photo: Lluis Gene/AFP via Getty Images)