Barcelona will head into Sunday's El Clasico with a remarkable statistical advantage involving one of their most influential attackers, as Jose Mourinho prepares to face a player who has won his last six meetings with Real Madrid.

Hansi Flick's side have made a perfect start to their La Liga title defence, collecting 27 points from their opening nine matches and establishing a six-point lead over their bitter rivals.

However, Barcelona's advantage extends beyond their current league position, with one member of their attacking line having developed an extraordinary record against Los Blancos.

Former Leeds United winger Raphinha has featured in each of Barcelona's last six victories over Real Madrid, contributing seven goals and two assists across those encounters.

The Brazilian was also absent for the Catalan giants' only defeat in their previous seven Clasicos, a 2-1 reverse during the 2025-26 campaign.

His performances have been instrumental in Barcelona's recent dominance of the fixture, particularly in the Spanish Super Cup, where he has repeatedly delivered on the biggest occasion.

Now operating in a more central attacking role, Raphinha represents a significant challenge for Mourinho as the Portuguese manager prepares for his first Clasico since returning to the Santiago Bernabeu.

Raphinha's remarkable record against Real Madrid

Barcelona's recent results against their greatest rivals underline just how influential Raphinha has become in the fixture.

The 29-year-old contributed a goal and an assist in the 4-0 league victory during the 2024-25 campaign, before producing an even more impressive display in that season's Spanish Super Cup final.

Raphinha scored twice and provided another assist as Barcelona overwhelmed Madrid 5-2, demonstrating his ability to exploit spaces behind the opposition's defensive line.

He was less influential in the subsequent 3-2 Copa del Rey final victory, but returned to decisive form when the teams met again in La Liga.

The Brazilian struck twice in a thrilling 4-3 success, further strengthening his reputation as one of Madrid's most troublesome opponents.

His excellent record continued in the 2025-26 Spanish Super Cup final, when another double helped Barcelona secure a 3-2 victory.

Most recently, Raphinha featured for 26 minutes in a 2-0 league win over Madrid, completing a sequence of six successive Clasico victories in which he had appeared.

Across those six matches, the Brazil international has accumulated seven goals and two assists, with six of those seven goals coming against goalkeeper Thibaut Courtois.

The statistics, highlighted by Brazilian publication Trivela, are particularly striking given the importance of the encounters, which included two Spanish Super Cup finals and a Copa del Rey final.

Raphinha's influence has also extended beyond individual performances.

Barcelona have won six of their last seven encounters with Madrid, with the only defeat coming when the Brazilian was unavailable.

Although that result cannot be attributed solely to his absence, the contrast illustrates how effectively Flick's side have used his attacking qualities in recent meetings.

Sunday's contest gives Raphinha the opportunity to extend his personal winning sequence to seven matches, with Barcelona also seeking a 10th consecutive La Liga victory this season.

Mourinho faces a different Raphinha threat at Camp Nou

While Raphinha's record against Madrid is already formidable, his evolving role in Barcelona's attack could create additional problems for Mourinho.

Previously most effective when accelerating into space from wide positions, the former Leeds winger has increasingly been deployed as a centre-forward under Flick.

The adjustment allows him to make diagonal runs between central defenders and exploit gaps that might otherwise be attacked from the flanks.

His movement also benefits from the creative abilities of Pedri and Rodri, who are capable of delivering accurate passes behind an opposition defensive line.

That presents Mourinho with a tactical dilemma.

Defending with a high line could offer Barcelona opportunities to release Raphinha into dangerous areas, particularly when the hosts regain possession and attack quickly.

A more compact defensive shape might reduce the space available behind Madrid's defenders, although it could also give Barcelona greater control of possession in midfield.

Another possibility would involve pressing the Catalans' deeper playmakers more aggressively, limiting their opportunities to supply the Brazilian.

These are potential approaches rather than confirmed instructions from Mourinho, whose side have struggled at times to establish a consistent defensive structure this season.

Mourinho could therefore once again deploy Federico Valverde at right-back, with Ibrahima Konate and Dean Huijsen expected to feature in central defence.

Barcelona, meanwhile, have injury concerns of their own, particularly in defence, although Raphinha is expected to start after recovering from a thigh problem.

The Brazilian missed two matches during his recovery before returning for limited minutes against Real Betis and Paris Saint-Germain.

He failed to contribute a goal or assist in either appearance, having previously recorded 14 goals and three assists across eight matches earlier in the campaign.

His return to full fitness would be a considerable boost for Flick, especially after Barcelona suffered their first defeat of the season against PSG on Tuesday.

Despite that 4-2 Champions League setback, the Catalans remain in an outstanding position domestically, having scored 39 goals in their opening nine league fixtures.

Raphinha will also have support from Lamine Yamal, whose creativity and individual brilliance have made him another major threat to Madrid's defence.

The Spanish international has been in exceptional form and will enter the Clasico just one day before the 2026 Ballon d'Or ceremony in London.

For Mourinho, containing Barcelona's attacking movement will be essential if Madrid are to reduce their six-point deficit rather than fall further behind in the title race.

And while stopping Yamal is likely to be a major priority, Raphinha's extraordinary record suggests the returning Madrid manager cannot afford to overlook the Brazilian.

Barcelona host Real Madrid at Camp Nou on Sunday, October 25, with kick-off scheduled for 8pm UK time.