Barcelona are through to the Champions League semi-finals, but they had to endure a nervy night in Dortmund despite holding a commanding 4-0 lead from the first leg. Serhou Guirassy’s hat-trick gave the home side hope, and though Barcelona were never seriously in danger of going out, the performance raised fresh concerns about their ability to go all the way.
Dortmund came into the second leg needing a miracle, and they nearly sparked one. The game opened with high intensity, the German side pressing high and fast, unsettling a Barcelona side that couldn’t keep possession or find rhythm. By the ninth minute, they were ahead. Pascal Gross was brought down in the box after a clever move involving Karim Adeyemi, and Guirassy confidently converted the resulting penalty.
Barcelona were rattled. The decision to rest Pedri, the player most capable of dictating tempo and calming the game, appeared a costly risk. Dortmund dominated the early exchanges, firing five shots on target in the opening 20 minutes, and feeding off the energy of a fired-up home crowd.
The tactical tweak by Dortmund, switching to a 3-4-2-1 formation, added congestion in midfield and cut off Barcelona’s usual supply lines. Barcelona, normally composed and clinical, looked unsure and at times chaotic. It was only after Maximilian Beier missed a golden opportunity, heading straight at Wojciech Szczesny, that the visitors seemed to settle. By half-time, despite the early storm, they had regained a measure of control.
But just as they looked to have weathered the worst of it, Dortmund struck again. Early in the second half, Guirassy was on hand to nod home from close range, igniting the belief that something special might still be on the cards. Yet Barcelona responded almost immediately. A cross from Fermin López was clumsily turned into his own net by Ramy Bensebaini, deflating the home crowd and Dortmund’s momentum in one blow.
Still, Dortmund kept pushing, and Guirassy completed his hat-trick after excellent play from substitute Julien Duranville. At 3-1, the score on the night looked impressive, but the aggregate margin was too great. Julian Brandt briefly thought he’d made it 4-1, which could have made things very interesting, but his finish was ruled out for offside.
Barcelona advance 5-3 on aggregate, but the defensive frailties laid bare over two legs are a real concern. Dortmund had 13 chances in the first leg and 18 more in the second. For all of Barcelona’s attacking flair and resilience, they remain vulnerable to high-intensity pressing and quick transitions, a hallmark of their manager’s risk-heavy, high-line approach.
This openness has been evident at other points this season, including games where they’ve conceded four goals against Osasuna, Benfica, and Atlético. It speaks to the fine margins they live on—when the press is even slightly mistimed, they’re dangerously exposed.
Barcelona’s 24-match unbeaten streak now continues, and their attacking power continues to carry them. But as the competition stiffens, and whether Inter or Bayern await in the semi-finals, opponents will surely fancy their chances of exploiting the wide gaps left in behind. The challenge for Barcelona now is to strike a better balance between their aggressive style and defensive solidity.
