Barcelona produced a stunning performance to dismantle Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in the first leg of their Champions League quarter-final clash at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
Robert Lewandowski starred with a brace as the Spanish giants extended their unbeaten streak to 23 matches and edged closer to a first Champions League semi-final since 2019. Raphinha opened the scoring in the first half, while teenage sensation Lamine Yamal capped the night with a well-deserved goal.
Barcelona took the lead in the 25th minute after dominating early proceedings. Fermin Lopez delivered a pinpoint free-kick to the back post where Iñigo Martínez nodded it across goal. Young defender Pau Cubarsí redirected the ball goalward, and Raphinha made sure by sliding it over the line to claim his 12th goal of the campaign. After a brief VAR check for offside, the goal stood.
Dortmund, runners-up last season, had chances to equalise before the break. Their best opportunity fell to Serhou Guirassy, but the striker wasted two promising openings, including one where he scuffed a shot with only goalkeeper Wojciech Szczęsny to beat.
Barcelona made Dortmund pay for those misses early in the second half. Just three minutes after the restart, Yamal floated a cross to Raphinha, who headed it across the box to Lewandowski. The Polish striker made no mistake, nodding home from close range to score his 10th Champions League goal of the season.
Lopez nearly added a third moments later, rattling the post and shooting just over in quick succession. But the third goal soon came in the 66th minute when Lewandowski, facing his former club, drilled in a low shot at the near post following a clever assist from Lopez. The goal marked his 29th in 28 matches against Dortmund and his 99th for Barcelona since joining the club in 2022.
Lewandowski, visibly pleased, emphasized the importance of contributing not just goals but also leadership and experience to his team. “In my head I always have not just winning, but helping the team with my qualities,” he said after the match.
Yamal, who had terrorised Dortmund’s defence throughout the night, got the goal he richly deserved late on. With the visitors pressing higher and leaving gaps at the back, Raphinha released Yamal with a perfect through ball. The teenager remained composed and slotted in Barcelona’s fourth to seal the emphatic win. Though he requested a substitution shortly after, he left the pitch smiling and to a standing ovation, with his coach confirming it was a precaution after a busy run of games.
While Barcelona march confidently towards a potential semi-final clash with either Inter Milan or Bayern Munich, Dortmund are left with a mountain to climb in the return leg next week in Germany. Their captain Emre Can admitted his side were punished for avoidable errors and a lack of cohesion.
Barcelona are still competing on multiple fronts and remain in contention for a historic quadruple. On current form, they look every bit the powerhouse of old and will be a formidable opponent for any team left in the competition.
