Raphinha shows up Mbappe on brilliant Champions League night for Barcelona

It was a performance of note from Raphinha in the Parc des Princes on Wednesday night against Paris Saint-Germain, and not before time it must be said.

The Brazilian has blown hot and cold during his time at Barcelona – not too dissimilar to Ousmane Dembele at PSG – but finally came good when it mattered.

His two goals went a long way to Barca winning the first leg of the Champions League quarter-final and putting themselves in the box seat for the return next week in the process.

It was no more than the Brazilian deserved after an all-action performance, and the only real surprise was that Xavi decided to hook him before the match ended.

His face as he trudged off said it all, though Raphinha has to be happy with that level of performance and his first two European goals for the Catalans.

Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images

Everyone connected with the club will arguably be hoping that they’ve done enough already to see them through to the semi-finals, though that is going to require a backs against the wall performance next week, as the team look to get one step close to Wembley Stadium – a mythical ground for them in the past.

It’s where Barcelona won their first ever Champions League and also where they ripped apart Manchester United in 2011 with a performance that Sir Alex Ferguson described as the best he could remember against one of his teams.

It’s taken a long time for Raphinha to settle and for Barcelona to get the best out of him, but he was absolutely game-changing against the likes of Kylian Mbappe, who he overshadowed on the night.

Photo by Alex Pantling/Getty Images

Everything that Raphinha touched in the Parc des Prince seemed to come off and when you hit that sweet spot of form you will try anything.

In order to prove his worth to Xavi, however, he needs to do it all over again in the home leg.

PSG are more than likely going to go hell for leather to quickly wipe out the advantage – in much the same way as they did just after half-time of the first leg.

And yet, if Raphinha is on song once more, then it will be the Catalans that’ll likely be stretching their advantage in the tie and be getting ready to face the winners of the Dortmund vs Atletico tie at the semi-final stage.