Raphinha, Yamal power Barca to Champions League win over Villa
Barcelona's Lamine Yamal celebrates scoring his team's first goal with Raphinha (R) during the UEFA Champions League 1st round day 4 football match between FC Barcelona and Aston Villa at Camp Nou Stadium in Barcelona on November 3, 2026. Five-time winners Barcelona took an early lead through Lamine Yamal before Raphinha continued his fine goalscoring form with a second-half brace.
Barca bounced back after defeat by champions Paris Saint-Germain in their previous European outing to stay in the hunt for a top eight league phase berth. Unai Emery's Villa competed well in the first half but were eventually undone by Barca's greater ability in the final third.
The Champions League anthem was not played before the game, as a mark of respect for Tenerife striker Jesus De Miguel, who died on Tuesday morning after an on-pitch collision in a Spanish second division match the previous day, provoking shock across the football world. "Yes it was (a good win), I want to dedicate this win to the fans, but today I don't want to talk about football, I want to send a message to the family of Jesus -- may he rest in peace," Raphinha told Movistar.
"This can happen to anyone, it's very tough. you're going to play a game and the same thing can happen to you.
From the club, I want to send a message of strength to the family." Villa captain John McGinn had only visited the Camp Nou once previously, on a summer holiday as an eight-year-old, and might have expected better weather than the downpour both teams were subjected to. The skipper might also have expected a more focused start, with Villa handing Barcelona the lead in the seventh minute.
The Spanish champions pressed Aston Villa extremely high and Joao Gomes played a poor pass straight to Yamal in his own box. The 19-year-old winger gladly took the gift and stroked past Villa goalkeeper Zion Suzuki.
"Tonight was a huge learning curve for us and I am sure it will stand us in good stead for the future," McGinn told TNT Sports. "Barcelona made the right decisions at the right times and scored really good goals." Yamal's goal was his 14th in the competition across his career, beating Real Madrid striker Kylian Mbappe's previous record tally of 13 netted as a teenager in the Champions League.
Emery, who endured one of the worst nights of his career away at Barca when helming PSG in 2017 during a 6-1 defeat, may have feared the worst. However Villa reacted strongly and Matty Cash had a vicious drive deflected narrowly wide before Joao Cancelo blocked Gomes's effort.