Raphinha and Lewandowski make history as Barcelona super-subs

It may have been due to very specific circumstances, but having Raphinha and Robert Lewandowski on the bench certainly makes a statement. Valencia, who had held firm in the first half, completely succumbed when the Brazilian and the Pole came onto the pitch in the second half, where Barcelona ended up running riot with a 6-0 victory. Both, along with Fermin, completed the rout.

Their performance set two new historical precedents. According to data from BeSoccer Pro, the match at the Estadi Johan Cruyff saw the most goals scored by substitutes in Barca's entire history. Never before had substitutes scored four goals in the same match. The previous record was set at three.

That had happened on four occasions. On 19 May 1996, Cruyff's last Barca managed to come back from 0-2 against Celta Vigo with three goals from Ángel Cuéllar and Óscar García Junyent, who had come on for Miguel Ángel Nadal and Celades. 16 years later, on 15 September 2012, Leo Messi needed just half an hour after barely training during the week to seal the match against Getafe with a brace at the Coliseum. David Villa, also a substitute, would score the definitive 1-4 goal.

Already in this decade, on 27 February 2022, Xavi's Barca finished off Marcelino's battling Athletic Bilbao with a 4-0 win forged in the final minutes thanks to Ousmane Dembélé, Luuk de Jong and Memphis Depay, who had come onto the pitch for Gavi, Adama Traoré and Aubameyang. Finally, on 10 September of the same year, the 'Azulgrana' side thrashed Cádiz 4-0 at the Nuevo Mirandilla. Frenkie opened the scoring, but then Lewandowski, Ansu Fati and Dembélé would appear from the bench.

First double brace from substitutes in La Liga

The second of these historical precedents we mentioned is that it is the first time that two substitutes have scored two braces each in the same League match. Raphinha, who had come on at half-time, received a cross from Marcus Rashford in the 53rd minute that he was able to push in with the connivance of the Valencia defence and Agirrezabala. And in the 66th minute, he would latch onto a long ball before volleying in the fourth 'Azulgrana' goal.

A couple of minutes later, Lewandowski came on, who scored his first two goals of the season after struggling with various physical problems. In the 76th minute, Dani Olmo threaded a pass through the centre-backs that he took advantage of with a control and a shot. And in the 85th minute, Marc Bernal saw him unmarked again after a lay-off from Olmo for him to beat Agirrezabala, with the help of VAR.

Valencia, close to being the opponent against whom Barca have scored the most

The 'Culé's' record against Valencia is tremendous. In 2025, Flick's side have scored 18 goals in three matches (two in the League and one in the Cup) against the 'Che' team, who despite this are picking up their heads under Carlos Corberán. But this dynamic is very close to setting a historical record if nobody remedies it, and that is that Valencia are the second team against whom Barca have scored the most in the entire history of the First Division... just two goals away from the first.

In total, Barcelona have scored 355 goals in 181 League matches against Valencia. Only Athletic Club surpasses them, having conceded 357 in 188 matches. Behind them are Espanyol (345 in 178), Atlético de Madrid (337 in 176), Sevilla (335 in 162), Real Sociedad (312 in 156) and Real Madrid (309 in 190), the last in the club of 300.