Barcelona has started the season brilliantly and has become a favorite in the Champions League

One of the teams attracting everyone's attention in European football with its intense play and brilliant results at the start of the season is Barcelona. As reported by Goal.com, the Catalans, led by Hansi Flick, have not only won all five of their opening matches this season but have also managed to score five goals in four of them. The latest result became even more impressive with the 5-1 thrashing of Feyenoord in the debut match of the Champions League league phase. This is reported by Goal.com reports .

Such a magnificent start for the Catalan club is turning the team into one of the main contenders on the international stage. It is known that the main goal this season is not just the domestic league, but reaching the Champions League final at the Metropolitano stadium in Madrid and winning the top trophy. Despite competition from European powerhouses like Real Madrid, Arsenal, Paris Saint-Germain, Bayern Munich, and Inter, Blaugrana is currently showing that it is operating at a different speed.

Transfers and growth in quality of play

The smart transfer window played a huge role in the team's success. The departures of players like Ferran Torres, Rashford, and Lewandowski, who moved to Chicago, caused no issues for the team. On the contrary, the arrival of Gordon, Adeyemi, and Gabriel Jesus, who managed to score immediately after coming off the bench, further increased the team's attacking potential and provided the coach with endless possibilities.

However, experts believe the key acquisition was made in the midfield. The arrival of world champion and 2024 Ballon d'Or winner Rodri provided complete balance and order in the center of the pitch. Barcelona had long needed a player of this profile, and this transfer has taken the team to a completely new level.

Raphinha's super start and his evolution

Brazilian winger Raphinha has become one of the main protagonists in the team's brilliant play. He has already scored 8 goals in the first five matches of the current season. In the club's history, only Kocsis, who scored 9 goals in the 1958–1959 season, has recorded a better result. His brace against Feyenoord brought his Champions League goal tally to 21. He now sits in fifth place on the club's all-time top scorers list, behind Lionel Messi (126), Suárez (25), Rivaldo (25), and Lewandowski (23).

Raphinha's transition from the wing to a central striker is evoking memories of Cristiano Ronaldo for many. In an interview with Sport, the player's former coach at Vitória Guimarães, Vítor Campelos, emphasized that he could become a true number nine like Cristiano Ronaldo. Feyenoord head coach Giovanni van Bronckhorst also admitted that, based on their style of play, Barcelona is currently the best team in the world.