Featured Image Credit: Getty
Topics: Raphinha, Barcelona, Champions League, FC Barcelona
Josh Lawless
Barcelona star Raphinha selected one team who could stop the Blaugrana from the going all the way in the Champions League but his prediction is already up in smoke.
Barca have won the Champions League five times in their history, the latest triumph coming in 2015 under Luis Enrique when they won a historic treble.
The Blaugrana were also victorious in 1992, 2006, 2009 and 2011 but struggled in the latter stages of the competition in recent years and were knocked out by Paris Saint-Germain in the quarter finals last season.
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But the Catalan giants have been in fine form in Europe this season, finishing second in the 36-team Champions League table on 19 points and losing just one game out of eight.
They dispatched Benfica in the round of 16 and will now face Borussia Dortmund over two legs in the quarter finals.
Captain Raphinha has been an integral part of their success, scoring 11 goals and registering five assists in the Champions League alone.
Yet while the Brazilian hasn't put a foot wrong on the pitch this season, his prediction was a little off.
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In January, in a video with YouTuber and content creator Adri Conteras, Raphinha gave his take on who he felt his team would come up against in the Champions League final in Munich on 31 May.
"My prediction for the Champions League final? Barcelona vs. Manchester City," Raphinha said.
However, Raphinha's prediction already fell apart just weeks after he made the call. City, winners in 2023 under Pep Guardiola, were eliminated by holders and 15-time European champions Real Madrid.
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City, having led twice in the home leg, lost 6-3 on aggregate after Kylian Mbappe's second leg hat-trick at the Santiago Bernabeu.
That was in the knockout play-offs and Real have since beaten city rivals Atletico on penalties in the round of 16 to set up a quarter-final showdown with Arsenal.
The Gunners stunned Real in the first leg though, winning 3-0 at the Emirates after two outrageous free-kicks from Declan Rice as well as a strike from Mikel Merino.
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Should Barca beat Dortmund, they will play the winner of Bayern Munich vs Inter Milan in the semi-finals. Inter lead 2-1 from the first leg at the Allianz Arena.
The winner of Arsenal and Real will play whoever emerges victorious out of PSG and Aston Villa - with Barca slated to play one of those four sides if they reach the final.