Ex-Leeds United favourite Raphinha stuns Real Madrid in Super Cup win after bizarre Kylian Mbappe moment

Former Leeds United winger Raphinha continues to enjoy an incredible campaign with Barcelona after scoring twice in his side’s 5-2 Spanish Super Cup win over Real Madrid on Sunday.

Raphinha is in the form of his life this season, cementing himself as one of Hansi Flick’s most important players with 19 goals and nine assists across all competitions. The Brazilian winger has even taken on the role of captain on multiple occasions as part of Barcelona’s leadership group, with first-choice skipper Marc-Andre ter Stegen out for the season.

The Blaugrana had already thrashed great rivals Madrid in La Liga and went on to do so again during Sunday’s cup final in Saudi Arabia, despite losing goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny 10 minutes into the second half. Lamine Yamal, Robert Lewandowski and Alejandro Balde grabbed one goal each but Raphinha was the star, netting twice and grabbing an assist to boot.

"I'm very happy to have helped the team to victory,” the former Leeds man said after being awarded Man of the Match. “Regardless of individual performances, the most important thing is always the team results. I came here to win titles, and I don't care if I play well or badly; what matters to me is helping Barça lift trophies."

Mbappe unhappy with Raphinha

With two goals and an assist, Raphinha was already at the heart of the action on Sunday but the much-loved former Leeds man angered his rivals as well. The winger was not best pleased to see Madrid star Kylian Mbappe receiving on-pitch treatment in the first-half and took unusual action.

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The in-form Barcelona man was seen picking up the Madrid medical staff member’s treatment bag and carrying it off the pitch while Mbappe was still being seen to. The physios had to then follow Raphinha off the pitch to continue assessing Mbappe while play went on.

A number of Madrid coaches confronted Raphinha at the time but, somewhat fortunately, he escaped punishment before going on to score twice. Opposition fans were also fiercely angry with the former Elland Road favourite, who has also been in trouble with his own club recently.

Barcelona transfer comments

Raphinha will be back in Barcelona's good books following Sunday’s Super Cup triumph, but he was in a bit of bother with club chiefs last week. The Catalan outfit’s financial struggles have been well-documented and La Liga recently rejected a request to re-register two players - Dani Olmo and Pau Víctor - due to complex restrictions placed on the club.

"We have to hope that this will be resolved quickly,” Raphinha said on the matter. “We have to wait. The truth is that we know the same thing as you. We tried to stay focused to do our job. I hope that the people who have to resolve this can do it and give us good news quickly.

"Yes [it could impact other players], I can't say no. I would be lying and I don't like lying. If I were at another club and I was experiencing the situation of Pau and Dani, perhaps I would think about whether it would be better to be here. When I arrived here, I knew the situation of the club."

Those candid comments are thought to have landed Raphinha in hot water at Barcelona but he quickly won everyone over with another outstanding performance on the pitch. He and his side next host Marc Roca’s Real Betis in the Copa Del Rey last-16 on Wednesday.