Leaders Barcelona visit Atletico Madrid on Sunday in La Liga with Raphinha back to his devastating best as the team's center-forward, suggesting the Catalan giants have little reason to regret missing out on Julian Alvarez this summer. The Argentina international tried to force his way out of Atletico to join Spanish champions Barca, whose attempts to engineer a deal angered the Rojiblancos. Barcelona were fined around 600 euros ($675) for their approach for striker Alvarez by the Spanish football federation in October. Alvarez stayed and later apologized to Atletico fans to try and rebuild bridges, while Barcelona moved on fast, with winger Raphinha developing into an unstoppable force in a previously unfamiliar number nine role. Raphinha's form has made the chances of Barca returning for Alvarez next summer remote, and, after penning a new contract until 2030 on Thursday, he will look to underline that against Atletico. With the Brazilian firing on all cylinders Hansi Flick's side won 11 games straight across all competitions at the start of the season but then suffered back-to-back defeats by Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid. Raphinha was not at his best for either match after suffering a thigh injury on international duty with Brazil at the end of September. The 29-year-old was uncharacteristically quiet in Barca's 4-2 Champions League defeat by PSG, and he netted in the subsequent 2-1 home defeat by Real Madrid without shining. Four goals in the two matches which followed, against Alaves and Aston Villa, indicate he has now recovered fully. Raphinha followed those good displays up by signing his new deal, just reward for his delivery since Hansi Flick arrived in 2024. After joining Barcelona from Leeds in 2022 the winger grew frustrated under coach Xavi Hernandez, who did not seem to trust him completely. However, Flick's arrival and his high-pressing game suited Raphinha to the ground and the winger has gone from strength to strength, becoming one of the team's most influential players and one of the captains. Raphinha was absent through injury last season as Barcelona crashed out of the Champions League in the quarter-finals against Atletico. Now he will be central to their hopes of avoiding another setback against Diego Simeone's side. Atletico, second in La Liga, are two points behind Barca and hoping to usurp the reigning champions with a win at the Metropolitano stadium on Sunday. - Initial concerns - Raphinha had some reservations about playing as the striker at the start of the season when Flick asked him to move there, after it became clear Alvarez would not arrive. "You're in the spot where before there was only (Robert) Lewandowski," said Raphinha. "If you don't score goals, people judge you for that. "I had a few doubts because of that and also about playing with my back to goal, but in the end, I think I've done well and I've liked it." Those doubts are a distant memory. Raphinha boasts 19 goals in 13 appearances across all competitions this season. "We give him the balls and he puts them in the net," said Fermin Lopez bluntly in September, laying bare the simplicity of playing with the Brazilian in this form. By contrast, Alvarez has struggled to find his best level at Atletico, initially whistled by his own supporters, although he has improved in recent weeks. The forward has two goals in 11 appearances. As one of the team's leaders and someone with a determined personality, no player will be more hurt by the criticism after the PSG and Madrid defeats than Raphinha. The Brazilian will be going all-out this weekend to highlight that Barca are capable of defeating the biggest teams, putting recent doubts behind them, and confirming he is the striker they needed all along.
