Barcelona marched into the Champions League semifinals with a 5-3 aggregate victory over Borussia Dortmund, despite suffering a 3-1 defeat in the second leg on April 15, 2025. The match showcased a stunning hat-trick from Dortmund's Serhou Guirassy, who put the pressure on the Spanish giants but ultimately fell short of completing a remarkable comeback.
After a dominant 4-0 win in the first leg at home, Barcelona seemed in control heading into the return fixture. However, Dortmund had other plans, attacking fiercely from the start and leaving the visitors on the back foot. Guirassy opened the scoring with a Panenka penalty in the 11th minute after Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny collided with Pascal Gross, igniting the home crowd's hopes for a dramatic turnaround.
Just four minutes into the second half, Guirassy struck again, heading home to double Dortmund's lead and reduce the aggregate deficit to 4-2. The tension in the stadium was palpable as the home side sensed the possibility of an incredible comeback. However, Barcelona responded with resilience. Fermin Lopez managed to force an own goal from Ramy Bensebaini, bringing the score to 2-1 and restoring a degree of calm for the Catalan side.
Despite the setback, Guirassy was relentless. He completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error from Ronald Araujo to score a powerful close-range shot. This goal not only reignited Dortmund's hopes but also made Guirassy the Champions League's top scorer this season with 13 goals. Yet, the dream of overturning the deficit was shattered when Julian Brandt's late goal was disallowed for offside, sealing Barcelona's passage to the semifinals.
Barcelona's coach, Hansi Flick, praised both his team and Dortmund's performance, saying, "What the team has shown in the past few weeks is incredible. We’ve got a lot ahead of us this season. We’re a step further but we’re not even close to the end." Flick acknowledged the challenge posed by Dortmund's passionate home crowd and noted that he had anticipated a tough match despite his team's commanding lead.
For Dortmund, the defeat was a bitter pill to swallow. Coach Niko Kovac expressed pride in his team's effort, stating, "Serhou just needs the support of his teammates, like every striker does, and he got that today." Despite the loss, Guirassy's performance has solidified his status as a key player for Dortmund, who currently sit eighth in the Bundesliga, six points off the Champions League qualifying places.
This defeat marked Barcelona's first loss of 2025, breaking a streak of victories that had extended back to December 21, 2024, when they fell to Atletico Madrid. It was also their first Champions League loss since September, and only the seventh defeat in Flick's 50 games at the helm.
As Barcelona moves forward, they aim to achieve a treble, a feat last accomplished a decade ago when they lifted the Champions League trophy in Berlin. They will face either Inter Milan or Bayern Munich in the semifinals, marking their first return to the last four of the Champions League since the 2018-19 season. The stakes are high, and the excitement is palpable as fans await the next chapter in this thrilling tournament.
In another match on the same night, Paris Saint-Germain also secured their place in the semifinals, edging Aston Villa 5-4 on aggregate despite losing the second leg 3-2. The competition continues to heat up as the best teams in Europe vie for the coveted trophy.
With Barcelona's experience and talent, they remain strong contenders for the title, but the road ahead promises to be challenging. As they prepare for their semifinal clash, the pressure mounts, and the anticipation builds among fans and players alike. Will they reclaim their place at the top of European football?
