Raphinha moves closer to Cristiano Ronaldo’s all-time Champions League record that even Messi couldn’t match

Brazilian star Raphinha scored in Barcelona’s 4-0 win over Borussia Dortmund, getting closer to Cristiano Ronaldo’s all-time Champions League goalscoring records in a single season.

FC Barcelona delivered a commanding performance against Borussia Dortmund, securing a 4-0 win in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final. Among the standout performers was Raphinha, who scored the first goal of the night and moved closer to Cristiano Ronaldo’s all-time record for most goals in a single Champions League season, a mark even Lionel Messi never reached.

With his goal, the Brazilian now has 12 goals in 11 Champions League appearances this season, putting him just five shy of Ronaldo’s record tally of 17, set during Real Madrid’s title-winning 2013–14 campaign.

If Barcelona reach the final, Raphinha would have four more matches to match or surpass Ronaldo. Beyond his goalscoring, Raphinha has also provided seven assists, tying Messi’s record of 19 goal contributions in a single Champions League season for Barcelona.

Before Ronaldo set the current benchmark, the record was jointly held by Messi and Jose Altafini with 14 goals each. Messi reached the mark in 2011–12 with Barcelona, while Altafini had stood alone atop the list for nearly 50 years after scoring 14 goals in the 1962–63 campaign with Milan.

Several others have come close to Ronaldo’s 17-goal haul. The Portuguese forward himself scored 16 goals in the 2015–16 season and 15 in 2017–18. Robert Lewandowski, who has scored 10 goals this season, matched that 15-goal total in 2019–20 with Bayern Munich, and Karim Benzema reached the same figure during Real Madrid’s 2021–22 run.

Raphinha’s standout season with Barcelona

Beyond his Champions League heroics, Raphinha has been one of the most consistent performers under Hansi Flick this season. Across all competitions, he has tallied 28 goals and 20 assists.

In LaLiga, he’s scored 13 goals and added 10 assists in 28 appearances. In the Copa del Rey, where Barcelona will face Real Madrid in the final set for April 26th, he has contributed one goal and four assists.

From: bolavip.com