“We Focus on Ourselves” – Raphinha Drives Barcelona Clear at the Summit
Barcelona’s title march gained real substance on Saturday night, and it came from a familiar source. Raphinha struck twice late on to break Osasuna’s resistance, sealing a 2-0 win that pushed Barça seven points clear of Real Madrid at the top of LaLiga.
For long spells at the Camp Nou, this felt like one of those nights that could slip away. Hansi Flick’s side monopolized possession, created chances, and pinned Osasuna deep, yet the breakthrough stubbornly refused to arrive. When it finally did, it was delivered by their captain and delivered decisively.
The result matters not just because of the scoreline, but because of the timing. With Madrid still to play Alaves on Sunday, Barcelona took full advantage of the pressure moment, extending a lead that suddenly looks commanding as the season moves into its decisive stretch.
Osasuna arrived with a clear plan. Sit deep, compress space, and trust Sergio Herrera to keep them alive. For nearly 70 minutes, it worked. Barcelona dominated territory from the opening whistle, with Ferran Torres lively between the lines and Marcus Rashford stretching the back line, but clear chances were at a premium.
Herrera set the tone early. Lamine Yamal, increasingly central to Barcelona’s attacking rhythm, twice tested the Osasuna goalkeeper with sharp efforts on either side of halftime. Both times, Herrera reacted superbly, first smothering a close-range attempt before halftime, then denying the teenager again with a curling effort after the restart.
There were warning signs for the visitors, though. Eric Garcia flashed a dipping strike just wide midway through the first half, and Barcelona thought they had taken the lead shortly after. Rashford’s clipped pass picked out Torres, who guided a header beyond Herrera, only for a lengthy review to rule it out due to Raphinha’s offside position in the buildup.
Osasuna had moments of their own. Ante Budimir forced Joan Garcia into action with a sharp snapshot, and early in the second half, Victor Munoz raced through after a rare Pedri mistake, only to drag his shot wide. It was a reminder that dominance without incision can be dangerous.
As the clock ticked on, frustration grew in the stands and on the touchline. Flick prowled his technical area, urging patience. The breakthrough, when it arrived in the 70th minute, was clinical. Pedri slipped a measured pass into Raphinha’s path, and the Brazilian captain drilled a low finish into the bottom corner, giving Herrera no chance.
That goal changed the mood instantly. Osasuna were forced to open up, and Barcelona began to find more space. Yamal again went close in the 82nd minute, curling narrowly off target, but the contest was effectively settled four minutes from time. Jules Kounde’s cross was partially cut out, falling perfectly for Raphinha to tap in at the far post and confirm both the points and his influence.
After the match, Raphinha was quick to downplay any title talk. “We need to focus on ourselves and if we do our job, then we won’t have to worry about anyone else,” he said. “We are playing better than before and the more points, the better.”
It was a captain’s response, but the numbers speak loudly. This was Barcelona’s fifth straight win in all competitions since their Champions League setback at Chelsea last month, and another clean sheet built on control and patience. Osasuna, meanwhile, slipped to a sixth consecutive league defeat in Catalonia without scoring, their resistance admirable but ultimately unsustainable.
The bigger picture is hard to ignore. Barcelona are not just winning; they are finding ways to win when fluency dips. That is often the difference in title races. With Madrid still chasing and the calendar tightening, performances like this carry extra weight.
If this was a test of nerve as much as quality, Barcelona passed it. And with Raphinha leading from the front, the pressure is now firmly on their rivals to respond.