Took over and ran the show”, “The best big match player

Barcelona fans online were left in awe of Raphinha after his performance vs Newcastle United in the UEFA Champions League Round of 16 second leg. The Catalans secured an 8-3 aggregate win over the Magpies over both legs on March 18.

Raphinha had an exceptional game, scoring twice and assisting two more. He had five out of five shots on target, delivered six key passes, and created three big chances. The Brazilian was pivotal to Barcelona’s victory in the game, while both Robert Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal also combined well with him as a trio to create momentum in the attack.

Fans showered praise on Raphinha after the game, with many recognizing how he has delivered in significant games since last season. One Culer wrote on X:

“This frontline cooked heavily. Raphinha is just the best big match player.”

Many other users shared similar sentiments:

Fans continued to share their thoughts on Raphinha’s performance:

Note: All in-game statistics were taken from SofaScore as of writing and are subject to change per the website’s prerogative.

Barcelona boss Hansi Flick claims they cannot think of winning the Champions League ‘yet’

In the post-match press conference, Barcelona coach Hansi Flick made a clear statement about his next mission. The German mentioned it is not yet the time to think about winning the Champions League, as they have to take it step by step.

“We can’t think about winning the Champions League just yet. We have to go step by step, match by match… Both Atletico and Tottenham are really great teams and we will have to fight,” he said (via Barca Universal).

Barcelona will face either Atletico Madrid or Tottenham Hotspur in the quarter finals based on who wins their clash tonight. However, Los Colchoneros are more likely to be their opponent, given they are leading 5-2 over the Spurs from the first leg.

Flick also addressed the caveats in the Blaugrana defence, adding:

“We have to analyze this game. The defence is doing a really great job, and they have to play every minute. We have to think about that. We don’t have a lot of options to play. After the break we will get some players back, so we can improve in defence.”

Earlier this season, Barcelona lost 4-3 on aggregate to Atletico Madrid in the Copa del Rey semi-finals. If they face the Spaniards in the Champions League quarter-finals, it could be their chance at redemption. However, Simeone’s side will not be an easy one to tackle given their form.