Can Barcelona winger Raphinha break the record? Most goal contributions in a Champions League season

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Ronaldo & Messi dominate 

©TM/IMAGO

The new Champions League format this season has been met with mixed reviews from supporters around Europe, but one thing it has guaranteed is more games. Which usually means more goals. There were eight games in the new league phase – two more than in the previous group stage – as well as a play-off round which added a further 16 matches. And many attacking players have been taking advantage of the opportunity to find the net on more occasions.

As illustrated in the graphic above, when it comes to the most goal contributions (goals + assists) in the Champions League this season, leading the way is Barcelona’s Raphinha and Borussia Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy. The Barcelona winger leads with 19 in total, following another goal and two assists in the Catalan side’s 3-0 quarter-final first-leg win against Dortmund in Catalonia. With a potential of four games still to play should Barca make the final, which is looking likely, Raphinha could have his sight set on posting the best ever attacking season in the Champions League.

To equal the best ever attacking season, numbers-wise, in the Champions League modern era (since 1992/93) Raphinha would need just three more goal contributions in this season’s competition. The best ever season to date came from the Champions League’s all-time top scorer Cristiano Ronaldo – the Portuguese forward provided 22 goal contributions (17 goals + five assists) in the 2013/14 campaign as Real Madrid won ‘La Decima’ against rivals Atlético Madrid in the final. In second place is Robert Lewandowski – the Polish striker amassed 21 goal contributions (15 goals + six assists as Bayern Munich won the Champions League in the 2019/20 season. 

Remarkably, Ronaldo features three more times in the top 10 seasons. In 2015/16 he managed 20 goal contributions, whilst managing 18 goal contributions in both the 2016/17 season and the 2017/18 campaign. Real Madrid won the Champions League in each of those seasons. Barcelona legend Lionel Messi also features three times in the list – the Argentine magician managed 19 goal contributions in the 2011/12 campaign, whilst also putting up 16 goal contributions in both the 2010/11 and 2014/15 seasons. Roberto Firmino’s superb campaign with Liverpool in 2017/18 (18 goal contributions) and Karim Benzema’s brilliant season with Real Madrid in 2021/22 (17 goal contributions) also feature in the top 10. If Raphinha keeps up his form he could post the best ever Champions League season.