Raphinha's Hat-Trick and Rodri's Leadership Propel Barcelona
Barcelona’s perfect start rolls on. The performance, though, belonged to one man in the middle.
A Raphinha hat-trick powered Barça to a 3-1 comeback win over Sevilla on Saturday, erasing an early deficit and keeping Hansi Flick’s side flawless at the start of the season. Sevilla struck first, but once Barcelona woke up, they didn’t just turn the game around – they took control of it.
At the heart of it all was Rodri. And he walked off the pitch sounding every bit like a leader who expects this level to be the norm.
Rodri’s picks: Rapha, Lamine, Adeyemi
The midfielder was quick to push the spotlight onto others when he spoke after the game.
“For me, today Rapha was outstanding, Lamine was also very good, and Adeyemi, I really liked how he came on in the second half,” he said, picking out the three players he felt tilted the match in Barça’s favour.
Raphinha’s treble did the damage on the scoreboard, but Rodri’s praise for Lamine underlined the teenager’s growing influence in Flick’s system. Adeyemi’s impact off the bench also earned a mention, his energy in the second half helping Barcelona keep Sevilla pinned back as the game opened up.
The message from Rodri was clear: this isn’t a one-man show.
“We’re not going to lose our rhythm”
Barcelona have opened the season at full throttle, and Rodri made it plain that the dressing room has no intention of easing off during the upcoming pause in club action.
“We’re not going to lose our rhythm, we’re going to keep competing. We need to keep in mind that these are important matches and come back in the best possible shape,” he said.
No talk of complacency. No suggestion this run is a surprise. Just a demand to maintain standards when they return.
Gerard Martín steps in, Christensen forced off
There was a sour note in the win. Andreas Christensen had to come off injured, forcing Flick into a defensive reshuffle. Gerard Martín stepped in, and Rodri didn’t hesitate to single him out.
“Gerard Martín has been sensational. Such a shame about Christensen’s injury,” he said.
The compliment mattered. In a team stacked with established internationals, a replacement defender delivering under pressure against Sevilla is exactly the kind of detail that keeps a title push steady when injuries bite.
Flick’s verdict on his midfield general
If Rodri was busy praising his team-mates, his coach was just as eager to return the favour.
“Rodri is a great player, both with and without the ball. He controls everything and gives us composure in our positional play. I think he connects well with Pedri and the center-backs. Overall, I think we can be happy with what we did,” Hansi Flick said.
That connection with Pedri and the back line is the spine of this new-look Barcelona. When Rodri dictates, Barça look organised, patient, and ruthless when the chances come. Against Sevilla, that control turned an early scare into a statement win.
Barcelona now step away from competitive action, their perfect record intact and confidence surging. They return on October 10th against Getafe – and if Rodri gets his way, they’ll come back not just rested, but sharper, faster, and still in full control of this early-season charge.
