Barcelona’s Raphinha keeps goalkeepers guessing from the spot

Barcelona’s Raphinha walked out of the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on Sunday night clutching the match ball, a tangible reward for a hat-trick that underlined his evolution into one of Europe’s most reliable penalty takers. The Brazilian’s two conversions from the spot in the 5-2 win over Sevilla lifted his career success rate to 18 goals from 19 attempts and, more importantly, kept the Blaugrana four points clear of Real Madrid at the summit of La Liga.

The first penalty arrived inside nine minutes after João Cancelo was felled. Raphinha opted for a cool Panenka, lofting the ball gently over Odysseas Vlachodimos. Barely a quarter of an hour later, Cancelo again drew contact, and again Raphinha stepped forward. This time he drilled a low strike to the goalkeeper’s right; Vlachodimos guessed correctly and even got a fingertip to it, yet the power and placement were enough to find the net.

Post-match, the winger offered a concise insight into his philosophy. “You have to change things a little because the goalkeepers already expect what you’re going to do,” he said, still cradling the ball under his arm.

That willingness to adapt has been a constant throughout his career. During his single season at Stade Rennais, he briefly adopted the short hop made famous by Robert Lewandowski. At Leeds United, he alternated corners, going left one attempt, right the next. Since arriving in Catalonia in 2022, his run-up has become deliberately elongated: a slow, almost hypnotic approach that accelerates only in the final two steps, forcing the keeper to reveal his intentions. The finish is almost always low; only once in a Barcelona shirt has he opted for height, preferring ground-level placement that renders even a correct dive fractionally tardy.

That meticulous approach has produced flawless returns since he inherited spot-kick duties: five successful penalties this season, none conceded. Yet he remains generous with responsibility. In the Champions League stalemate at St James’ Park earlier this month, Raphinha ceded the last-minute kick to 17-year-old Lamine Yamal, whose conversion salvaged a vital point against Newcastle. Yamal has since scored four of five penalties in 2024, while Lewandowski has one goal from three attempts, illustrating the depth of Barcelona’s options from twelve yards.

With the victory over Sevilla, club president Joan Laporta declared the team “unstoppable.” On current evidence from the spot, few would argue.