Upon returning to Benfica, a year and a half after leaving Luz at the end of his contract to play for Turkish side Besiktas, Rafa confessed to feeling “missing everything” he had left behind in Lisbon. He himself will still have many followers of eagles sighing for his supersonic sprints and, above all, for the goals he scored in generous doses, season after season. Still, the question remains: is Rafa now returning to the Light? Comparing the numbers from the last two seasons at Benfica with those he achieved in the year and a half in which he represented Besiktas, it is clear that the differences in performance were minimal. Starting with the data that fans focus on whenever they see a reinforcement arriving, Rafa maintained, in Turkey, the averages of goals (0.35) and assists (0.25) per game that he achieved in the last two years at Luz (0.36 goals and 0.23 assists per game). The data gathered by Sofascorepartner of More footballalso show very identical values in almost all the parameters considered. At Besiktas, Rafa crossed more, managed more framed shots and made more ball interceptions, while at Benfica he shot more times per game, registered more touches in the opponent's area, more duels won and fewer ball losses. But the differences are always minimal and there is even one statistic that is symmetrical, that of great chances created (0.4 per game). The time interval referred to in this comparative analysis corresponds to the moment when Rafa turned 30 (he turns 33 in May). Also for this reason, the Portuguese international is seen at Benfica as an immediate performance booster, and the numbers he achieved at Besiktas support this idea. However, it is necessary to consider the weight that the recent turbulent months experienced by the Portuguese striker in Istanbul - he was incompatible with the Besiktas Management and has not played since the beginning of November last year - may have on his current form, especially at a crucial stage of the season. When it happens, his return to the pitch will show the true relevance of this issue.