Raphinha continued his excellent form as Barcelona began their La Liga title defence with a commanding 5–0 victory over Elche at the Estadio Manuel Martínez Valero. The Brazilian forward scored twice and provided an assist, while Fermín López also registered a brace and new signing Karim Adeyemi scored on his debut.
Raphinha opened the scoring from the penalty spot in the 14th minute after Elche defender Víctor Chust brought him down inside the area. Barcelona controlled possession for long periods and continued to create opportunities, with Elche struggling to contain the champions’ movement in the final third.
The visitors doubled their advantage just before halftime. Raphinha created the opportunity for Adeyemi, who finished confidently to score his first goal for Barcelona. The German forward’s arrival from Borussia Dortmund had generated considerable excitement, and his debut goal provided an immediate indication of the attacking options available to Hansi Flick.
Raphinha added his second goal in the 67th minute after substitute Anthony Gordon broke forward and supplied the final pass. The Brazilian took three shots during the match, more than any other player, and repeatedly caused problems with his movement and direct running.
Barcelona then extended their advantage through Fermín López. Gordon created the fourth goal with another quick attacking move, allowing Fermín to finish into an unguarded net in the 71st minute. The midfielder completed his brace eight minutes later with a powerful effort from the edge of the penalty area.
The victory gave Barcelona an ideal start to their bid for a third consecutive La Liga title. Flick’s team displayed energy, attacking variety and strong pressing, while their new additions immediately contributed to an impressive team performance.
Raphinha’s influence has continued to grow since he joined Barcelona. He is now operating with increasing authority in central attacking areas, rather than remaining exclusively on the wing, and his combination of finishing, creativity and movement has made him one of Flick’s most important players.
The Brazilian’s two goals also placed him among the early leaders in the La Liga scoring charts. After two matches, Raphinha has three league goals and one assist, while Fermín López has also scored three times.
Barcelona’s performance was particularly impressive because Elche had opportunities to make the match more competitive. However, the champions responded efficiently whenever the hosts threatened and finished the game with five unanswered goals.
For Flick, the result provided an early statement of Barcelona’s ambition. The reigning champions are aiming to retain their title, and performances from Raphinha, Fermín and Adeyemi suggest that their attacking options could be even stronger this season.
