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Raphinha Hits Stunning Hat-Trick as Barcelona Thrash Bayern Munich 4-1
Raphinha scored a sensational hat-trick on his 100th Barcelona appearance as Hansi Flick's side dismantled Bayern Munich 4-1 in the UEFA Champions League.
Barcelona ended a painful run of six straight defeats against Bayern Munich with a sensational 4-1 victory at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in the UEFA Champions League. Brazilian captain Raphinha celebrated his 100th appearance for the Catalan giants in style, delivering an unforgettable hat-trick to dismantle the German powerhouse.
Hansi Flick's side grabbed the lead within 54 seconds when Fermín López played Raphinha clean through on goal, allowing the winger to round Manuel Neuer and calmly slot into the empty net. Bayern Munich responded positively and leveled the contest in the 18th minute as Harry Kane volleyed home from Serge Gnabry's teasing cross from the left wing.
However, Barcelona seized complete control before the interval. In the 36th minute, Fermín López lifted a contested ball over Neuer, allowing former Bayern talisman Robert Lewandowski to tap home into an open goal. On the stroke of half-time, Raphinha doubled his tally with a moment of individual brilliance, cutting inside from the left flank and curling a precise right-footed strike into the far corner past Neuer.
The 27-year-old completed his hat-trick in the 56th minute, chesting down a magnificent diagonal pass from Lamine Yamal before driving past two defenders and firing a low, angled left-footed strike into the bottom right corner. The result firmly buried past European heartbreaks for Barcelona and laid down an emphatic marker ahead of the weekend Clásico.
Sources: UEFA.com, FC Barcelona, BBC Sport.
Football · Champions League · Barcelona · Bayern Munich · Raphinha
Competition: UEFA Champions League