According to a report published by Barca Universal on Monday, October 26, 2026, Barcelona skipper Raphinha has equalled Lionel Messi's impressive La Liga record by scoring 13 goals in his first nine appearances of the 2026–27 season.

The Brazilian international reached the landmark during Sunday's El Clasico against Real Madrid, scoring the equaliser to join Messi among the competition's most prolific starters. His remarkable form has been one of the few encouraging developments for Barcelona following consecutive defeats to Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid.

Raphinha's contribution extends beyond his goalscoring exploits, as he has also registered three assists in his opening nine league matches. This takes his total goal contributions to 16, matching the outstanding start Messi made to the 2012–13 La Liga campaign, when the Argentine scored 13 goals in his first nine appearances.

Cristiano Ronaldo remains the only player to have recorded a better return over the same period in the 21st century. The former Real Madrid forward netted 17 goals in his first nine La Liga outings during the 2014–15 season.

With 13 goals to his name, Raphinha currently leads the league's scoring rankings. Mbappe occupies second place with 11 goals, while Barcelona teammate Lamine Yamal has found the net eight times.

Raphinha scored in the 61st minute of Sunday's meeting with Real Madrid to bring Barcelona back into the contest after conceding the opening goal. Nevertheless, Mbappe struck late to hand the visitors victory and deepen Barcelona's disappointment.

The equaliser carried additional significance for Raphinha, who had recently returned from an injury absence. His ability to make an impact in matches against Real Madrid under Hansi Flick has once again underlined his importance to the team.

Flick's tactical decision to position the Brazilian in a central attacking role has also worked effectively. Following Robert Lewandowski's departure, Barcelona encountered difficulties identifying a suitable replacement for the experienced striker, encouraging their manager to experiment with different attacking arrangements.

Rather than depending on a conventional centre-forward, Flick has made use of Raphinha's movement, positional awareness, ability to exploit gaps in opposition defences and willingness to participate in intricate attacking combinations.

Keeping up his current scoring record throughout the season will undoubtedly be a challenge. Nevertheless, Raphinha's ability to operate in different attacking positions offers Barcelona valuable tactical flexibility. His form could be decisive as the Spanish giants look to recover from their recent setbacks and rediscover their winning momentum.