“BARCELONA 4-1 BAYERN MUNICH: Harry Kane’s Strike Falls Flat as Raphinha’s Hat-Trick and Lewandowski’s Goal Stun Bayern in Champions League Showdown”
England captain Harry Kane was left red-faced as Bayern Munich were dismantled 4-1 by Barcelona in a Champions League showdown. Former Leeds United star Raphinha stole the spotlight, netting a sensational hat-trick as Barca’s unstoppable form continued, sending a strong message to their European rivals.
Vincent Kompany’s Bayern have now endured consecutive European defeats, following last month’s loss to Aston Villa. The game began disastrously for Bayern, with Raphinha capitalizing on their high line within two minutes, rounding Manuel Neuer to put Barcelona ahead. Kane briefly thought he had equalized, only for his header to be ruled offside just nine minutes later.
Kane did manage to find the back of the net soon after, combining with Serge Gnabry to level the score for Bayern. But that was the high point for the German side, as former Bayern talisman Robert Lewandowski returned to torment his old club. The 36-year-old striker made it 2-1, with controversy surrounding the goal as Fermin Lopez appeared to have fouled Bayern defender Kim Min-jae in the buildup. From there, it was all downhill for Hansi Flick’s side as Barcelona took control of the match.
As half-time approached, Raphinha added to Bayern’s misery with a stunning solo strike, making it 3-1 for Barcelona. Just 10 minutes into the second half, the Brazilian completed his hat-trick in style, chesting down Lamine Yamal’s pass before leaving Manuel Neuer helpless.
Raphinha’s hat-trick took his season tally to nine goals, a remarkable feat after being handed the captain’s armband in Marc-Andre ter Stegen’s absence. Two years on from his £55 million switch from Leeds, Raphinha received a standing ovation when subbed off in the 76th minute, as Barcelona look ahead to the first El Clasico of the season against Real Madrid.
Barcelona currently sit atop La Liga, three points clear of rivals Real Madrid after an impressive start, claiming 27 points from a possible 30. Under Hansi Flick, they’ve also secured two wins in their first three Champions League group stage matches, continuing their dominant form both domestically and in Europe.
Wednesday’s highly anticipated fixture between two European giants, five-time champions Barcelona and six-time winners Bayern Munich, was set to be a classic under the new-look Champions League format. The memories of Bayern’s infamous 8-2 thrashing of Barcelona in 2020, with Hansi Flick and Robert Lewandowski on the opposing side, still lingered for the home fans at the Olympic Stadium.
However, Raphinha’s brilliance on his 100th appearance for Barca helped exorcise those demons. His stunning hat-trick perfectly set the stage for their upcoming trip to the Bernabeu on Saturday. Reflecting on the game, Raphinha said, “We played a very good game. We achieved our second victory in the Champions League. We are already thinking about El Clasico. It will be a brilliant match. It’s one of the best matches in the world.”
A delighted Hansi Flick praised his team’s performance, saying: “We think the game was great. After the first goal, we had 10-15 minutes where it was difficult for us. In the end, it’s good to see the team recover. We are a young team and it’s important to see that. We have a lot more potential. We try to do that in every game and improve the way we play, that’s our goal.”