Raphinha holds the key

Flick turns Brazilian into award contender

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Barcelona visit Inter Milan in a tantalising Champions League semi-final second leg clash tonight, with Raphinha’s latest contribution in the club’s spectacular European run ensuring the tie restarts on a knife-edge.

For once this season the statistics did not fully reflect the Brazilian’s part in Barcelona's third goal in the 3-3 first leg draw, as his vicious strike hit the crossbarand bounced in off Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer for an own goal.

Despite that his Champions League numbers are spectacular and a just representation of the key part Raphinha forms of Hansi Flick’s relentless attacking machine.

Raphinha has scored 12 goals in 13 European matches and set up nine more, if you include his assist for Sommer’s own goal, 21 goal contributions — while opponents Inter have scored 22 as a team across the whole competition.

The 28-year-old’s tally has surpassed Argentine great Lionel Messi’s best ever total of 19 direct goal involvements with the Catalan giants in a Champions League campaign.