Raphinha delivered, Barcelona beat Osasuna 2–0 and ended the round even more comfortably at the top of La Liga, now with 43 points and a seven point gap over Real Madrid, who still play. But the match told a more complex story than the scoreline suggests. It took nearly 70 minutes of tested patience, growing tension in the stands and a script that only opened up when the Brazilian showed up at the right moment, the way big players usually do.
Control without goals and a VAR call that changed the mood
Barcelona controlled the game from the start. They had the ball, occupied the attacking half and pushed Osasuna back. The goal felt like a matter of time and even came in the 23rd minute, a beautiful move with a chipped pass from Rashford and a precise header from Ferran Torres. The celebration, however, didn’t last long. VAR spotted an offside in the build up to the corner that led to the play, one of those decisions that cools down both the stadium and the team at the same time.
The setback didn’t break Barça, but it made the game more tense. Ferran stayed active, Lamine Yamal tried to create an edge, Pedri pulled the strings, yet the ball just wouldn’t go in. Osasuna, despite starting the round in a modest spot in the table, showed why they had one of the league’s best defensive records. Sergio Herrera made key saves, the back line blocked shots, and Budimir caused enough trouble on the counter to keep everyone alert.
Even a stunning bicycle kick from Ferran, after a pinpoint pass from Yamal, ended up as a symbol of frustration. Beautiful, flashy, but useless for the scoreboard. Halftime arrived with a 0–0 draw that didn’t reflect Barcelona’s volume, but rewarded the visitors’ resistance.
Raphinha steps in and the leader confirms the moment
The second half became an exercise in persistence. Barcelona raised the tempo, sped up the passing and started creating danger almost every time they went forward. It wasn’t a lack of quality, it was an overload of blocks, bodies in the way and an opponent that refused to give in. The feeling that the game might slip away began to hover over the stadium.
Then Pedri sparked another clean move, Raphinha popped up and finished with precision. The Brazilian’s clenched fist said it all. Relief. And there was still time for more. Late on, with Osasuna pushing higher, Koundé crossed, the defense got the touch wrong and Raphinha was right there to tap it in and seal the deal. Two goals, game settled and the lead reinforced.
The win stretched Barcelona’s winning run in the league to seven and kept an impressive streak alive. The team has now scored in 37 straight matches, tying the second longest run in club history. That’s 101 goals in that span, nearly three per game, numbers that explain why Hansi Flick’s Barça head into 2025 as league leaders, with breathing room and confidence.
There’s still a long road ahead, distant records and tough opponents, but nights like this help explain the moment. It won’t always be easy, it won’t always be pretty, but when the pressure builds, Barcelona have someone who can decide it. This time, Raphinha signed the message.