Raphinha's Barcelona Rise Key To Devastating Champions League Run

Barcelona visit Inter Milan in a tantalising Champions League semi-final second leg clash on Tuesday, with Raphinha's latest contribution in the club's spectacular European run ensuring the tie restarts on a knife-edge. For once this season the statistics did not fully reflect the Brazilian's part in Barcelona's third goal in the 3-3 first leg draw, as his vicious strike hit the crossbar and bounced in off Inter goalkeeper Yann Sommer for an own goal. Despite that his Champions League numbers are spectacular and a just representation of the key part Raphinha forms of Hansi Flick's relentless attacking machine.

Raphinha has scored 12 goals in 13 European matches and set up nine more, if you include his assist for Sommer's own goal, 21 goal contributions -- while opponents Inter have scored 22 as a team across the whole competition.

The 28-year-old's tally has surpassed Argentine great Lionel Messi's best ever total of 19 direct goal involvements with the Catalan giants in a Champions League campaign.

Over the season the former Leeds winger has 31 goals and 25 assists in 52 games across all competitions, as Barcelona target a potential quadruple, with the Copa del Rey and Spanish Super Cup already in the bag.

That Barcelona are on the verge of the Champions League final is evidently in no small part down to the rise of Raphinha in his third season at the club.

In turn the Brazilian winger's revival is, he says, down to coach Hansi Flick.

"The truth is he changed practically everything for me," said Raphinha in April.

"I was going to leave the club before the season started, the coach was so important in changing my mind, for me to stay at the club.

"He gave me all the confidence possible for me to do what I am doing, he