Brazilian captain scores twice in final 20 minutes to break down stubborn Osasuna and send Barça seven points clear.
Barcelona captain Raphinha stepped up with two late goals to secure a hard-fought 2-0 victory over Osasuna on Saturday, a result that pushed the LaLiga leaders seven points clear of rivals Real Madrid.
The Brazilian international broke the deadlock in the 70th minute and sealed the points four minutes from time on a night where a stubborn Osasuna defence, led by a superb Sergio Herrera in goal, had threatened to frustrate the hosts at Camp Nou.
“We need to focus on ourselves and if we do our job then we won’t have to worry about anyone else,” Raphinha said after the match, downplaying the widening gap at the top. “We are playing better than before and the more points, the better.”
Despite controlling possession from the start, Barça found clear chances hard to come by. Herrera was in inspired form, making excellent saves from Lamine Yamal either side of halftime and keeping out a Marcus Rashford free-kick.
The visitors even had a golden chance to take a shock lead shortly after the break when Víctor Muñoz pounced on a Pedri error, but he fired wide with only the keeper to beat.
The deadlock was finally broken when Raphinha collected a clever pass from Pedri and fired a low, precise shot into the bottom corner. He then put the result beyond doubt late on, tapping in at the far post after Jules Kounde’s cross was deflected into his path.
The win, Barça’s fifth consecutive victory in all competitions, puts significant pressure on second-placed Real Madrid, who face a tricky trip to Alavés on Sunday. For manager Hansi Flick, it was a night of patience rewarded, thanks to his standout captain.
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