Barcelona stumble into Champions League semis as unbeaten run ends
Borussia Dortmund vs Barcelona
Five-time European champions Barcelona secured their place in the Champions League semifinals for the first time in six seasons, overcoming a spirited Borussia Dortmund side with a 5-3 aggregate victory despite suffering a 3-1 defeat in a pulsating second leg on Tuesday at Signal Iduna Park. The match was a rollercoaster of emotions, with Dortmund’s in-form striker Serhou Guirassy delivering a stunning hat trick that threatened to unravel Barcelona’s commanding 4-0 lead from the first leg. Yet, despite the German side’s relentless pressure and a performance that showcased their attacking potency, Barcelona held firm, their resilience and a crucial own goal by Dortmund’s Ramy Bensebaini ensuring their progression to the last four. For Barcelona, a club that has endured years of frustration in Europe since their last Champions League triumph in 2015, this victory marked a significant milestone in their resurgence under coach Hansi Flick. The Catalans, unbeaten in 24 matches across all competitions in 2025 prior to this defeat, demonstrated the grit and composure needed to navigate one of the most hostile atmospheres in European football. As the final whistle blew, the relief among the Barcelona players was palpable, tempered by the knowledge that their journey to reclaim European glory is far from over, with a daunting semifinal against either Inter Milan or Bayern Munich looming.
From the opening whistle, Dortmund set the tone with an electrifying intensity that reflected their determination to overturn the four-goal deficit from the first leg. Playing in front of their fabled Yellow Wall, the Signal Iduna Park crowd roared their team forward, creating an atmosphere that was both intimidating and inspiring. Dortmund, coming off a spirited 2-2 draw against Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga, were desperate to restore pride after their humbling defeat in Catalonia. Their high-pressing game plan disrupted Barcelona’s rhythm, and within the first few minutes, they created two gilt-edged chances that signaled their intent. A pinpoint cross from Julian Brandt narrowly missed Guirassy’s head, and moments later, a long-range effort from Pascal Gross forced a sharp save from Barcelona goalkeeper Marc-André ter Stegen. The breakthrough came in the 11th minute when Guirassy, the Guinean striker who has been a revelation for Dortmund this season, coolly chipped a penalty past ter Stegen after Ronald Araújo was adjudged to have fouled Karim Adeyemi in the box. The goal sent the home fans into raptures, igniting hopes of an improbable comeback. Guirassy, who has now etched his name into Dortmund’s history books as the first player to score 13 goals in a single Champions League campaign, celebrated with a steely determination, sensing that his team could exploit Barcelona’s early discomfort. For Barcelona, the goal was a wake-up call, a reminder that their aggregate lead, while substantial, would be tested by a Dortmund side fueled by belief and the raucous support of their supporters. Hansi Flick, the former Bayern Munich coach who knows the Signal Iduna Park cauldron well, cut a pensive figure on the sidelines, urging his players to weather the storm.
As the first half progressed, Barcelona began to find their footing, their technical quality and composure allowing them to wrest control from Dortmund’s frenetic pace. The Catalans, led by the metronomic passing of Frenkie de Jong and the flair of young star Fermín López, started to create openings of their own. In the 40th minute, Jules Koundé squandered a golden opportunity to level the score, scuffing his shot wide after being teed up by a clever cutback from Lamine Yamal. The miss was emblematic of Barcelona’s struggles on the night, as their usually clinical finishing deserted them in the face of Dortmund’s relentless pressure. Despite their growing influence, Barcelona remained vulnerable to Dortmund’s counter-attacks, with Guirassy and Adeyemi posing constant threats with their pace and movement. Flick’s decision to deploy a high defensive line, a hallmark of his tactical philosophy, was both a blessing and a curse, allowing Barcelona to dominate possession but leaving them exposed to Dortmund’s rapid transitions. As the halftime whistle approached, the scoreline remained 1-0 on the night, with Barcelona’s aggregate lead intact but their nerves frayed. The dressing room at the break would have been a place of mixed emotions for the Catalans: confidence in their advantage tempered by the realization that Dortmund were far from finished.
The second half began with Dortmund picking up where they left off, their intensity undimmed as they sought to chip away at Barcelona’s lead. Just four minutes after the restart, Guirassy struck again, this time rising above Koundé to head in a pinpoint nod from Bensebaini off a corner. The goal was a testament to Dortmund’s set-piece prowess and Guirassy’s aerial dominance, and it sent a surge of belief coursing through the home side. The Yellow Wall erupted, sensing that a historic comeback—matching Barcelona’s own record of overturning a four-goal deficit in a Champions League knockout tie—might be within reach. For a moment, Barcelona appeared rattled, their defensive structure creaking under the weight of Dortmund’s onslaught. However, their fortunes turned in the 54th minute when Bensebaini, the hero of Dortmund’s second goal, inadvertently handed Barcelona a lifeline. Under pressure from Robert Lewandowski, who had chased down a dangerous cutback from López, Bensebaini stabbed the ball into his own net, restoring Barcelona’s three-goal aggregate cushion. The own goal was a cruel blow for Dortmund, deflating their momentum and settling the nerves of a Barcelona side that had been teetering on the edge. Lewandowski, the veteran striker whose experience in high-stakes matches proved invaluable, wheeled away in celebration, knowing that the goal had shifted the tie decisively in Barcelona’s favor. Flick, too, allowed himself a rare smile, recognizing that his team had weathered the worst of Dortmund’s storm.
Despite the setback, Dortmund refused to capitulate, their pride and ambition driving them forward in search of a miracle. In the 64th minute, López had a chance to put the tie beyond doubt, but his shot sailed narrowly wide, a miss that kept Dortmund’s faint hopes alive. The defining moment of the match came in the 76th minute when Guirassy completed his hat trick, capitalizing on a rare error from Araújo, who misjudged a clearance, allowing the striker to pounce and fire past ter Stegen. The goal was a fitting reward for Guirassy’s tireless performance, his clinical finishing and relentless work rate embodying Dortmund’s never-say-die spirit. With the score 3-1 on the night and the aggregate at 5-3, Dortmund needed two more goals to force extra time, a tall order but not impossible given their dominance. However, as the minutes ticked away, the physical and emotional toll of their Herculean effort began to show. Barcelona, sensing their opponents’ fatigue, tightened their defensive shape, with De Jong and Gavi working tirelessly to disrupt Dortmund’s rhythm in midfield. Ter Stegen, too, played his part, producing a crucial save to deny Adeyemi in the dying stages. When the final whistle blew, Barcelona’s players embraced, their relief tinged with pride at having navigated one of the toughest tests of their campaign. Dortmund’s players, meanwhile, sank to their knees, their valiant effort falling just short of a historic upset.
In the aftermath, Flick was magnanimous in defeat, acknowledging Dortmund’s quality while celebrating his team’s achievement. “Dortmund did very well. We did not have our best day. I had a feeling something like that would happen today because I know the stadium well,” he said. “Things didn’t go too well for us, but Dortmund played very well. But congratulations to my team, we’re in the semifinals. We’re happy. I’m really happy for the team and the club.” His words reflected the duality of the night: disappointment at the performance but immense satisfaction at the outcome. For Dortmund, the defeat was bittersweet, their second-leg display a stark contrast to their capitulation in the first leg. Pascal Gross, the midfielder who had been a driving force for Dortmund, summed up their frustration: “We wanted to play better and more courageously and support each other more on the pitch. We did that today, and it was a completely different game. It’s a shame we didn’t play like that in the first leg as we could have got something out of it.” Looking ahead, Barcelona now face a formidable semifinal against either Inter Milan or Bayern Munich, a matchup that will test their credentials as genuine contenders. For Dortmund, the focus shifts to the Bundesliga, where their performance against Barcelona will serve as a reminder of their potential. The tie was a testament to the fine margins of the Champions League, where moments of brilliance and lapses in concentration can define a team’s fate.
