Raphinha Named LaLiga Player of the Month Again After Record-Breaking Start

Raphinha celebrates after scoring for Barcelona during his impressive run of form.

Raphinha Wins LaLiga Player of the Month for September Again

Raphinha is LaLiga’s Player of the Month for September, the second month in a row he has won it. He scored seven goals and added two assists in four league matches, with one goal against Valencia and back-to-back hat-tricks against Racing Santander and Sevilla. Barcelona beat Racing 7–2. The Sevilla treble came on September 19 in a 3–1 comeback win after Youssouf Fofana put the hosts ahead, and his three goals arrived with his right foot, his left foot and his head.

Raphinha celebrates during Barcelona’s 3–1 comeback victory over Sevilla, in which he scored a hat-trick.

He has 12 league goals and three assists this season. Two more goals in the Champions League against Feyenoord took his total to 14. According to Stats Perform, he was involved in 15 league goals in Barcelona’s first seven games, a 21st-century high that Karim Benzema also reached in 2021-22. After Sevilla he led the scoring chart by five goals over Kylian Mbappé and Lamine Yamal. In the award vote he finished ahead of Mbappé, Atlético Madrid’s Jonathan David, Rayo Vallecano’s Sergio Camello and Elche’s Fer Niño.

Hansi Flick’s Tactical Change and Barcelona’s Trust in  Raphinha

Hansi Flick moved him from the wing to centre-forward after Robert Lewandowski and Ferran Torres left. Flick says the coaching staff made the decision and that Raphinha is happy at number nine. Fermín López said Raphinha had never played there before. Barcelona recently named him their first captain, and sporting director Deco announced a contract extension to 2030 on the morning of the Sevilla game.

Barcelona coach Hansi Flick has trusted Raphinha with a more central attacking role this season.

He is doing all of this without a Ballon d’Or nomination. Raphinha finished fifth in the 2025 vote and is missing from the 30-man list for 2026. The ceremony is on October 26 in London. After scoring twice against Feyenoord he said, “I’m not talking about the Ballon d’Or.” Injuries cut his last season to 21 goals and seven assists in 33 games.

Raphinha’s Injury Update and Barcelona’s Unbeaten Run Ahead of El Clásico

A thigh problem picked up on Brazil duty kept him out of Barcelona’s 3–0 win over Getafe on October 10, and Flick says it is not serious. Barcelona have won all eight league games and all nine matches in all competitions, a first in the club’s history. Real Madrid visit for El Clásico on October 25.