Raphinha was the hero for Barcelona on Saturday, leveling the score and then converting a dramatic stoppage-time penalty to complete a thrilling comeback and seal a 4-3 victory over Celta Vigo in a chaotic La Liga encounter. The result kept Barcelona firmly in the title race, extending their lead at the top of the table to seven points over Real Madrid, who are set to host Athletic Bilbao on Sunday.
The match had looked to be slipping away from Barça after Borja Iglesias netted a stunning hat trick to give Celta Vigo a 3-1 advantage with less than 30 minutes remaining. But the Catalans mounted an inspired response—Dani Olmo pulled one back in the 62nd minute, and just three minutes later, Raphinha rose to head in an equalizer from a pinpoint Lamine Yamal cross.
As the game seemed destined for a draw, Barcelona pushed for a winner. Their persistence paid off deep into injury time when Olmo was brought down in the box—a foul confirmed after a VAR review. Raphinha coolly slotted home the decisive penalty to complete the turnaround.
At the final whistle, head coach Hansi Flick rushed onto the pitch to celebrate with Raphinha, embracing the Brazilian in a moment of pure elation after one of the season’s most dramatic finishes.
