Barcelona Reach Champions League Semis Despite Defeat At Dortmund

 Barcelona secured their first UEFA Champions League semi-final berth since 2019, overcoming a 3-1 second-leg loss to Borussia Dortmund on Tuesday to advance 5-3 on aggregate at Signal Iduna Park. 

The Spanish giants, who dominated the first leg 4-0 on April 8 with goals from Robert Lewandowski (brace), Raphinha, and Lamine Yamal, weathered a ferocious Dortmund comeback led by Serhou Guirassy’s hat-trick, ensuring their progression in a thrilling quarter-final tie watched by 81,000 fans.

Dortmund’s hopes, dimmed by the first-leg rout, flickered when Guirassy converted an 11th-minute penalty after Wojciech Szczesny’s foul on Pascal Gross, making it 4-1 on aggregate. The Guinean striker, who tops the Champions League scoring charts with nine goals, per Opta, headed in a Ramy Bensebaini corner four minutes into the second half, cutting the deficit to 4-2.

 Barcelona’s nerves eased when Bensebaini scored an own goal in the 58th minute off a Fermin Lopez strike, restoring a three-goal cushion at 5-2. Guirassy’s 76th-minute finish, a sharp blast after teenage winger Julian Duranville’s dribble, made it 5-3, but a late Julian Brandt goal was ruled offside, sparing Barcelona extra-time drama.

“We didn’t rest—we attacked,” said coach Hansi Flick, who kept his attacking trio of Lewandowski, Yamal, and Raphinha despite the lead, a decision vindicated by their 55% possession, per UEFA. Dortmund’s Niko Kovac admitted needing a “miracle” post-first leg, and despite 14 shots to Barcelona’s nine, his side couldn’t overturn the deficit. Barcelona, chasing a treble with La Liga’s top spot and a Copa del Rey semi-final, will face Inter Milan or Bayern Munich, with Inter leading 2-1 from their first leg, per ESPN. Posts on X hailed Guirassy’s “world-class” display but lauded Barcelona’s resilience, as they eye a sixth European crown on May 31, 2025, in Munich.