In an exhilarating La Liga face-off at Camp Nou, Barcelona pulled off a dramatic 4-3 comeback victory against Celta Vigo, driven by Brazilian forward Raphinha’s decisive performance. Head coach Hansi Flick couldn’t contain his excitement as he celebrated the win, rushing onto the field to embrace Raphinha, who had turned the tide with two crucial late goals, including an injury-time penalty that sealed the victory.
The hard-fought win allowed Barcelona to extend their lead atop the Spanish league standings, now seven points clear of rivals Real Madrid, who are set to play Athletic Bilbao at home on Sunday. Flick expressed his admiration for his team’s tenacious spirit, saying, “Seeing how this team fights until the end is amazing.” At halftime, the coach had encouraged Raphinha to act as a leader on the pitch.
Raphinha’s brace not only secured the victory but also marked a personal milestone, bringing his goal tally to 30 in all competitions this season—a career-best. Despite the win, Barcelona was handed a potential setback as their top scorer, Robert Lewandowski, limped off the field clutching his left thigh. Coach Flick remained cautious, stating, “We have to wait until tomorrow” for further updates.
The coming weeks are critical for Barcelona, with three major titles still up for grabs. The team faces back-to-back challenges, starting with a league match against Mallorca followed by the Copa del Rey final against Real Madrid. Just days after this final, the team will commence their Champions League semifinal bout with Inter Milan.
Initially, Barcelona seemed set for a straightforward victory after Ferran Torres netted an early goal. However, Celta Vigo’s Borja Iglesias turned the game on its head with an impressive hat-trick. Iglesias first capitalized on a defensive mistake to equalize, then struck twice more in quick succession by exploiting Barcelona’s defensive lapses.
After Iglesias’ hat-trick, Barcelona appeared in dire straits. However, the team quickly rallied. Raphinha, with crucial support from substitutes Dani Olmo and Lamine Yamal, orchestrated an audacious comeback. Raphinha’s assist allowed Olmo to score Barcelona’s second goal, while he himself hammered in a commanding header from Yamal’s cross to level the game. The climactic moment came when Raphinha coolly converted a penalty, won through VAR intervention, to hand Barcelona the victory in stoppage time.
With Celta Vigo slipping to eighth in the standings, Mallorca moved up to seventh after a goalless stalemate with Leganes. In other league actions, Valencia managed to secure a 1-1 draw against Rayo Vallecano, thanks to Umar Sadiq’s equalizer.