Raphinha leads Barcelona to thrashing of Bayern, ahead of Clasico

The result comes as a massive boost, especially considering Barca's recent struggles against the German giants, notably the infamous 8-2 defeat in Lisbon.

The star of the night was undoubtedly Brazilian winger Raphinha, whose scintillating hat-trick propelled Barcelona to victory.

Raphinha, who was rumoured to be on his way out of the club during the summer, silenced his critics with a sensational performance. âœHe's been incredible, and this is just the beginning," said Barcelona manager Hansi Flick after the match.

Barcelona took the lead in just 58 seconds, with Raphinha pouncing on a defensive mistake from Bayern's Kim Min-jae after a clever through-ball from Fermin Lopez. Raphinha coolly rounded Manuel Neuer and slotted the ball home, ending Barca's long-standing goal drought against Bayern. The early goal set the tone for a match full of intensity, although Bayern thought they had equalised soon after through Harry Kane. However, VAR ruled out Kane's strike for offside, keeping Barca ahead.

Despite Bayern's pressure, Kane managed to find the net again in the 18th minute with a precise header from Serge Gnabry's cross, levelling the score. But Barcelona responded swiftly. Robert Lewandowski, facing his former club, restored Barca's lead, tapping in from close range following a controversial challenge on Min-jae, which the referee allowed to stand.

Raphinha then made it 3-1 just before half-time, curling in a stunning shot from the edge of the box after a smart pass from Casado. His second goal took the wind out of Bayern's sails, and his third came early in the second half, as he calmly finished after a swift counter-attack. With Neuer beaten once again, Bayern's hopes of a comeback faded, and despite manager Vincent Kompany's multiple substitutions, including the introduction of Jamal Musiala and Leroy Sane, they could not turn the tide.

As the clock ticked down, Raphinha was substituted to a standing ovation from the home crowd, with Dani Olmo making his return to the squad. "It was an amazing night, but now we focus on Madrid," Raphinha said afterwards, already turning his attention to Saturday's showdown at the Bernabeu.

With the team in red-hot form and brimming with confidence, Barcelona will head into El Clasico on Saturday looking to continue their momentum. The stage is set for another memorable clash.

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