Barcelona talisman equals Lionel Messi’s goalscoring start to the 2012-13 league season

Barcelona talisman equals Lionel Messi’s goalscoring start to the 2012-13 league season The injury Raphinha sustained during the last international break took a toll on the player’s body, and he did not look to be at the same level even after returning to fitness. He still does not appear as sharp as he was before his injury, but last night, he once again returned to his regular goalscoring ways with a strong performance. Taking to the field against Deportivo Alaves at the Spotify Camp Nou, Raphinha scored twice in the first half to help his side to a 4-0 lead at half-time. He could well have had a hat-trick, but was taken off early to prevent any burden on his recovering body. A special record leveled Messi in 2012 was a goalscoring machine. (Photo by Jasper Juinen/Getty Images) It is indeed true that Raphinha’s goal output has seen a small decline since his injury, but it is astounding how he still remains in a very elite group in terms of his start to the season. With his two goals against Alaves, the player has equalled Lionel Messi’s goalscoring start to the season in the 2012-13 edition of La Liga – a time when he was in his absolute prime. In that year, the Argentine talisman had 15 goals after just eleven games for Barcelona, and the numbers were seemingly untouchable for any mere mortal. Now, however, Raphinha has gone on and leveled that record as he now has 15 goals in exactly as many match days. Notably, he has only played ten of the team’s league games and only started nine, making the record all the more stunning. Leading the race Two more goals in his kitty. (Photo by David Ramos/Getty Images) With 15 goals to his name already, Raphinha is also leading the Golden Boot race in Europe, and is doing so with some margin. Real Madrid’s Kylian Mbappe is currently placed second on that front and has 11 goals to his name, although he is yet to play in the ongoing matchday of La Liga and will take to the field later in the game. Lamine Yamal, whose goalscoring numbers have astonishingly grown, is third in the race with ten goals and is even ahead of Erling Haaland, who is on nine. Considering the duration Raphinha spent out through injury, it is staggering that he still has a four-goal lead in the Golden Boot race.