Barcelona are through to the Champions League semifinals, but not without a major scare in Germany. Despite a commanding 4-0 victory in the first leg, La Blaugrana were pushed to the limit by a determined Borussia Dortmund side, eventually advancing 5-3 on aggregate. Serhou Guirassy was the star of the night at Signal Iduna Park, netting a sensational hat trick to give the home crowd a glimpse of a historic comeback.
From the first whistle, Dortmund showed they weren't content to roll over. Backed by a raucous crowd, they pressed high and created early chances. The breakthrough came in the 11th minute when Guirassy calmly converted a Panenka penalty after Pascal Gross was tripped by Barcelona keeper Wojciech Szczesny. The hosts continued to threaten, and although Gross had a goal ruled out for offside soon after, the pressure was relentless.
Barcelona struggled to find rhythm in the first half, with their front three of Lewandowski, Raphinha, and Lamine Yamal failing to register any real impact. Dortmund's aggression and direct play exposed the Catalans' high defensive line, with Maximilian Beier and Karim Adeyemi frequently finding space behind it.
Four minutes after the restart, Guirassy headed in his second from a Ramy Bensebaini assist, reducing the aggregate deficit to just two goals and sparking belief throughout the Westfalenstadion. However, hope was short-lived. Just five minutes later, Fermin Lopez's dangerous cross was inadvertently turned into his own net by Bensebaini, restoring Barcelona's three-goal cushion.
Even then, Dortmund wasn’t finished. Guirassy capitalized on a poor clearance from Ronald Araujo to complete his hat-trick in the 76th minute, bringing the score on the night to 3-1 and making it 5-3 on aggregate. The comeback nearly gained more momentum when Julian Brandt found the net minutes later, but his effort was ruled out for offside.
Barcelona held on in the final stages, weathering waves of Dortmund pressure to secure their semifinal place. Despite the aggregate victory, Hansi Flick’s side showed signs of vulnerability, particularly in defense. Their aggressive high line and occasional lapses in pressing left them exposed a warning sign ahead of their semifinal clash with either Inter Milan or Bayern Munich.
Guirassy’s performance was a major bright spot for Dortmund, taking his Champions League tally to 13 goals this season more than any other player. His rise from journeyman striker to European standout has been remarkable.
In the end, Barcelona’s first-leg dominance proved decisive, but their limp second-leg showing raised questions about their title credentials. With dreams of a treble still alive, they’ll need to tighten up at the back and reignite their attacking trio if they’re to lift the trophy in Berlin, ten years after their last triumph.
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