The commentators described the evening in Catalonia as mild, but for Gregor Kobel, the conditions were anything but enjoyable. The same goes for Borussia Dortmund's left back, Ramy Bensebaini.

Just four minutes into this Champions League quarter-final first leg, Lamine Yamal forced a save from Kobel after skillfully maneuvering past Bensebaini and shooting across the goal. Shortly after, Robert Lewandowski had a chance to test Kobel, thanks to a setup from Raphinha and Pedri. In just six minutes, Barcelona had already created three scoring opportunities.

This reminded me of how Brazil kicked off against the USSR in the 1958 World Cup, with Garrincha tearing through the defense. Lev Yashin was drenched in sweat, as if he had been playing for ages, as Ney Bianchi noted. Gabriel Hanot even called it the greatest three minutes in football history. Both stories were featured in Ruy Castro's biography of Garrincha.

Lewandowski netted two goals, while Raphinha and Yamal each added one, leading to a 4-0 victory that keeps Barcelona's treble hopes alive. Together, the trio has scored 82 goals across all competitions this season, just ahead of Borussia Dortmund's 81.

"Lamine, Raphinha, and I are really clicking both on and off the field," Lewandowski shared after the game. The Polish striker has now scored 40 goals this season, making him the top scorer in Europe's top five leagues, and he has reached 99 goals for Barcelona. Remarkably, he has netted 14 goals in the Champions League since turning 35—something even Cristiano Ronaldo hasn't achieved.

Barcelona is now the third club, following Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich, where Lewandowski has netted 10 or more goals in a single Champions League season. At 36 years old, he’s averaging 1.02 goals per game for the 2024-25 season. Although he hasn't won a Ballon d'Or yet, if he misses out this year, it might be because a teammate takes the spotlight.

While Lewandowski's stats are impressive, Raphinha's are even more remarkable. With one goal and two assists, the Brazilian has contributed to 48 goals this season, surpassing the records set by Rivaldo and Ronaldinho during their time at Barcelona. Raphinha has scored 12 goals and provided seven assists in just 11 European matches, making him the first player in Champions League history to achieve over 10 goals and five assists in a single campaign. His current performance even outshines Lionel Messi's best Champions League season, and although the tie is only halfway through, Barcelona could potentially play four more matches.

This tally could have been one less if Raphinha hadn’t touched Pau Cubarsi's setup after Inigo Martinez skillfully handled Fermin Lopez's free-kick, which was awarded after Karim Adeyemi pulled Jules Kounde's hair. There was also a chance it could have been ruled offside, and Raphinha mentioned he apologized to Cubarsi. Ultimately, Cubarsi made history as the youngest defender to assist in the Champions League at just 18 years and 77 days old, while Raphinha scored in his fourth consecutive knockout match, putting Barcelona ahead within the first 25 minutes.

In the second half, Barcelona dominated their opponents. Borussia Dortmund had opportunities to score before halftime, but Serhou Guirassy missed his chances, Wojciech Szczesny denied Jamie Gittens, and Carney Chukwuemeka's attempts were blocked.

Dortmund was also without Nico Schlotterbeck, Marcel Sabitzer, and Pacsal Gross, but according to captain Emre Can, that wasn't the reason for their loss. "We were too soft. We lacked cohesion, and we made basic mistakes," he shared with DAZN.

Yamal and Raphinha teamed up for the second goal, with Lewandowski heading it in from the goalline in the 48th minute. Lewandowski scored again in the 66th, thanks to contributions from Yamal and Lopez. At that point, Barcelona was cruising while Dortmund struggled.

Yamal's 14th goal of the season came after Lewandowski stole the ball and passed it to Raphinha. Under pressure, the young player scored with a quick left-footed poke that left Kobel watching the ball go by. "When a team plays that well, goals usually come easily," said Barcelona coach Hansi Flick.

Barcelona is currently at the top of La Liga, in the Copa del Rey final, and eyeing their fifth Champions League title. Their high defensive line often catches opponents offside, and they've netted 144 goals across all competitions, drawing comparisons to the likes of Messi, Luis Suarez, and Neymar Jr.

However, not long ago, the season seemed far from promising. There were concerns about Lewandowski's age, Raphinha's potential move to Saudi Arabia, and Yamal's youth.

Now, Yamal has scored four Champions League goals, setting a record for players under 18. Lewandowski is not only scoring but also creating space for teammates by drawing in defenders, and Raphinha is playing the best football of his career. A return to the semi-finals for the first time since 2018-19 seems more achievable than ever.

Read Also: Jitesh Sharma Credits Dinesh Karthik for Transforming Him into a 360-Degree Player

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