Raphinha scored twice as Barcelona put an end to Aston Villa’s flawless Champions League start with a captivating victory at the Spotify Nou Camp.
Lamine Yamal and Raphinha’s brace ultimately guided the five-time European champions to a comfortable win after the Premier League outfit had given them a first-half fright.
Matty Cash, Victor Lindelof, and Johan Manzambi all had opportunities, but Villa were left to wonder what could have been.
They had handed Barca, who moved above the visitors into second place in the league phase table, a seventh-minute lead when Joao Gomes’ hurried ball across the box let Lamine Yamal curl in his 13th goal in 15 games.
Yet Villa declined to sit back and contributed to an open, absorbing contest that nearly produced an equalizer.
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Cash and Lindelof saw shots deflected behind, while Manzambi scuffed an effort wide before testing home goalkeeper Joan Garcia.
Villa sought to exploit a Barca side without a Champions League clean sheet in 18 games but were left to regret their misses when Raphinha’s low strike clipped Pau Torres to deceive keeper Zion Suzuki and make it 2-0 seven minutes after the break.
The former Leeds United forward then added an elegant close-range third in the 64th minute following superb work and a magnificent pass from Joao Cancelo on the left, before Suzuki denied Anthony Gordon a fourth. ↻
Leon Goretzka’s header brushed the post as Villa pushed for a consolation, but Barca at last secured their first European shutout since April 2025.
