Raphinha and Lamine Yamal proved too hot for Aston Villa on Tuesday as free-scoring Barcelona recorded a 3-0 win at Camp Nou to end the Premier League side's perfect start in the UEFA Champions League this season
Yamal opened the scoring in the seventh minute, capitalizing on a João Gomes mistake to overtake Kylian Mbappé as the highest-scoring teenager in the competition's history with 14 goals. Raphinha, excelling as a No. 9 once again, then sealed the victory with a second-half brace, taking him to 19 goals for the season in just 13 appearances.
The win moves Barça level in the standings on nine points with Villa, who had won all three of their European matches heading into the meeting with the LaLiga leaders. In the lashing rain, Barça started quickly with Yamal's goal, but Villa came back, creating good chances for Matty Cash and Gomes in front of the vocal away support. Johan Manzambi also came close for Villa, but Barça remained a threat at the other end and pulled away from the Premier League side in the second half.
There was an element of fortune to Raphinha's 52nd-minute goal, with his strike deflected past the helpless Zion Suzuki. There was no luck to the second goal, though, a poacher's finish after brilliant work from João Cancelo.
Fermín López and Yamal, on two occasions, came close to adding a fourth as Barça continue to rebuild their momentum after back-to-back losses to Paris Saint-Germain and Real Madrid last month.
Saturday's 6-1 hammering of Alaves helped restore confidence ahead of Villa's visit, and this win sets Hansi Flick's side up nicely for Sunday's top-of-the-table clash against Atlético Madrid in LaLiga.