Barcelona spent much of the summer chasing Atletico Madrid striker Julian Alvarez, but Raphinha’s explosive start to the La Liga season suggests they may already have the attacking firepower they need.
The Brazilian winger has scored five goals in three games while operating out of position as Barcelona’s No. 9, giving the defending champions plenty of reason for optimism ahead of Sunday’s trip to Valencia at Mestalla.
Barcelona have won all three of their league games and sit on nine points, level with Jose Mourinho’s revamped Real Madrid and Real Betis, who stunned Los Blancos 1-0 on Friday.
The Catalan club failed to sign the marquee forward they wanted to bolster their attack following the summer departures of Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres. Instead, they turned to a deadline-day deal for Arsenal striker Gabriel Jesus.
Yet even Jesus, a former Manchester City forward, faces a difficult task in breaking into an attack that is already flourishing, with his fellow Brazilian Raphinha leading the charge.
"I don't think I'm coming to improve the team because it's already great," Jesus said at his presentation Tuesday.
"I'm just coming to help."
Raphinha is expected to keep his role as the team's center forward in the weeks ahead, although the start of the Champions League will encourage coach Hansi Flick to rotate his squad.
Raphinha suffered several injury problems last season, so Jesus could help lighten his workload.
Flick's arrival at Barcelona signaled a new era not only for the team but also for Raphinha, who had become frustrated under Xavi Hernandez.
Under Flick, the former Leeds United winger developed into a vital part of Barcelona's system, helping the team claim back-to-back league titles and earning the admiration of his teammates.
"At this moment, Raphinha is doing really great," Flick said Saturday.
"He's the best option for us at the moment in this position."
No surprise
Flick was upset when Raphinha missed out on the Ballon d'Or in 2025 and said this week he has not been surprised by how quickly the 29-year-old has impressed through the middle.
"Of course I expected his performance. He's a world-class footballer. I always want him on my team," Flick said, describing Raphinha as one of Barcelona's "leaders."
With Barcelona's pressing game central to Flick's system, Raphinha can literally lead from the front and set the tone.
"Sometimes I feel like I'm annoying for my teammates," Raphinha admitted last season, as he continually pushed to maintain the team's standards and work rate.
The winger was given the captain's armband this season and, instead of battling with Anthony Gordon for a place on the left wing, is showing that he will not easily be dislodged.
"Raphinha is a role model because he helps us all a lot, especially the younger ones. He's approachable, and that's what we want, a captain like that," Barcelona midfielder Marc Bernal told DAZN.
Raphinha scored twice against Elche in the first game of the season as Barcelona ran out 5-0 winners, scored again in the 2-0 victory over Athletic Bilbao and then struck another brace in the 5-2 romp over Rayo Vallecano on Monday.
There is still a question over whether Raphinha can sustain his superb numbers over a long period, particularly against defenses that sit deeper than Barcelona's opponents have so far. Such teams could deny the Brazilian the space he likes to burst into.
The trip to Mestalla to face Carlos Corberan's Valencia may offer a different type of challenge, but since joining Barcelona in 2022, Raphinha has risen to the occasion against every opponent he has faced.