Barcelona's Perfect Start Continues with Raphinha's Hat-Trick
Barcelona’s perfect start rolls on. The performance, though, belonged to one man.
Raphinha’s hat-trick dragged Barça from behind to a 3-1 win over Sevilla on Saturday, a result that keeps Hansi Flick’s side flawless at the start of the season and sends them into the break with a full haul of points and a growing sense of authority.
Sevilla had threatened to spoil the mood. They struck first, silencing the home crowd and briefly puncturing the early-season optimism. The response was ruthless. Barcelona tightened their grip on the ball, pushed their lines higher, and Raphinha took over the night.
By the final whistle, the Brazilian had all three goals, the points were safe, and the narrative had flipped from scare to statement.
Rodri’s picks: Rapha, Lamine, Adeyemi
Rodri, who again dictated the tempo in midfield, stepped in front of the microphones afterward with a smile that told its own story. He had no doubts about who had tilted the contest.
“For me, today Rapha was outstanding, Lamine was also very good, and Adeyemi, I really liked how he came on in the second half,” he said, singling out the hat-trick hero, the electric young winger, and the impact substitute.
It was a neat snapshot of what Flick is building: star quality, fearless youth, and depth from the bench all pulling in the same direction.
Rodri’s own message was clear and sharp. The standards cannot drop.
“We’re not going to lose our rhythm, we’re going to keep competing. We need to keep in mind that these are important matches and come back in the best possible shape.”
The words matched the way Barcelona had played once they fell behind: no panic, just control and acceleration.
Martín steps up, Christensen concern
The night was not all good news. Andreas Christensen was forced off injured, a worrying note in an otherwise buoyant evening. His replacement, though, seized his chance.
“Gerard Martín has been sensational. Such a shame about Christensen’s injury,” Rodri added.
Martín’s composure after coming on helped Barça see out the game with authority, another young player answering the call in a high-pressure scenario.
Flick’s trust in Rodri
If Rodri was busy praising everyone around him, his coach was just as quick to turn the spotlight back on the Spain international.
“Rodri is a great player, both with and without the ball. He controls everything and gives us composure in our positional play. I think he connects well with Pedri and the center-backs. Overall, I think we can be happy with what we did,” Hansi Flick said.
That spine – Rodri linking with Pedri and the central defenders – is becoming the platform for everything Barcelona do. When Sevilla led, it was that structure that allowed Barça to stay calm, keep circulating the ball, and wait for Raphinha’s finishing to slice through the visitors.
Now comes a pause. Barcelona step away after a sensational start, the table reflecting their perfect record and their confidence rising with each game.
They will be back on October 10th against Getafe. If they really “don’t lose their rhythm,” as Rodri promised, how long can this perfect run last?
