"Genuinely on track for a Ballon d'Or", "Bowing to him like he's prime Messi" - Fans hail Barcelona star after 5-1 win over Mallorca
Barcelona fans waxed lyrical about Raphinha, with a section claiming he is now the favorite to win the 2025 Ballon d'Or, following his impressive showing against Mallorca. The Blaugrana cruised to a 5-1 win in their LaLiga clash at the Estadi Mallorca Son Moix on Tuesday, December 3.
Ferran Torres took full advantage of a mix-up at the back from Mallorca's defense to tap home in the 12th minute. However, Barcelona's high line was punished in the 43rd minute when Vedat Muriqi leveled the scores with a simple finish.
Raphinha and Lamine Yamal were guilty of missing a big chance at the stroke of halftime. However, they responded well directly after the break when the latter won his side a penalty. Raphinha converted from the spot (56') before tapping home 18 minutes later to complete his brace. Frenkie de Jong (79') and Pau Victor (84') scored one goal apiece to hand the Blaugrana all three points.
Raphinha was exceptional during his 87 minutes on the pitch. The 27-year-old scored two goals, created four chances, and completed 25 passes from an attempted 27 with an accuracy of 93 percent. He has now garnered 16 goals and 10 assists in 21 appearances across competitions and is one of the most in-form players in Europe.
One fan compared the Brazilian to prime Lionel Messi, writing:
"They're bowing to Raphinha like he's prime Messi unooo Balon Dor might be in the bag"
Another Barcelona fan tweeted:
"19 goals & 7 assists for Raphinha this season, and it's only December. He's genuinely on track for a Ballon d'Or!"
Other fans reacted below:
"Are we sure raphinha isn’t the best player on earth," one fan commented
"Captains armband raphinha is something else," another added
"lmao raphinha is the best player in the world rn," one fan claimed
"What a memorable season for him," another chimed in
"We are all happy for him" - Raphinha hails Barcelona star following 5-1 win against Mallorca
Barcelona winger Raphinha praised Frenkie de Jong for his performance after the latter scored during their 5-1 win against Mallorca. De Jong made his 11th appearance of the season across competitions after recently returning from an ankle injury which sidelined him for 26 games since April this year.
De Jong replaced Dani Olmo in the 73rd minute and was able to make an instant impact. The Dutchman scored six minutes later before assisting Pau Victor in the 84th minute.
Raphinha said (via @BarcaUniversal):
"Frenkie de Jong's performance? He deserves it, he works very hard and helps us on and off the pitch. We have a lot of affection for him. We are all happy for him."
Barcelona remain at the top of the league table with 37 points from 16 games. They have played two more games than second-placed Real Madrid, who have 33 points.