Barcelona are almost into the UEFA Champions League semi-finals after beating Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in their quarter-final first leg at the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys on Wednesday.
A sensational performance saw the Catalan giants dominate throughout, with Robert Lewandowski scoring twice, while Raphinha and teenage prodigy Lamine Yamal also got on the scoresheet.
Noted for their impressive form, Barcelona now sits on an unbeaten streak of 23 matches, with this result putting them in a commanding position for a potential semi-final berth, something they haven’t achieved since 2019.
They are now a match away from reaching the final four, where they could face Inter Milan or Bayern Munich, who play each other in the other quarter-final.
The match started at a frenetic pace with Barcelona immediately asserting control. Dortmund’s goalkeeper, Gregor Kobel, was kept busy early on, saving shots from Yamal and Lewandowski.
The breakthrough came in the 25th minute, when a free-kick was awarded to Barcelona after Dortmund’s Karim Adeyemi fouled Jules Koundé. Fermin López swung the ball to the back post, and although Inigo Martínez’s header seemed to be heading over the line, it was Raphinha who slid in to ensure the ball crossed, claiming his 12th goal of the season. After a VAR check confirmed the goal, Barcelona led 1-0.
Dortmund’s first real chance came when Serhou Guirassy missed a golden opportunity to equalize, firing wide when one-on-one with goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny. This miss proved costly as Barcelona soon extended their lead early in the second half.
Yamal delivered a brilliant cross to Raphinha, who headed it back across goal for Lewandowski, who made no mistake in converting from close range. This was Lewandowski’s 10th Champions League goal of the season and marked his 29th goal in 28 appearances against his former club Dortmund.
Barcelona’s dominance continued, with López coming close to a third, first hitting the post and then firing over. The third goal eventually came in the 66th minute when López set up Lewandowski for a precise finish at the near post, taking his tally to 29 goals in 28 matches against Dortmund. This goal also marked his 99th strike for Barcelona since joining the club in 2022.
The final goal came in the 82nd minute, as Yamal, who had been a constant menace to Dortmund’s defense, was sent through on goal by Raphinha. The 17-year-old calmly slotted the ball home, rounding off a memorable performance for the teenager and sealing a comprehensive 4-0 win for Barcelona. Although Yamal requested a substitution towards the end, he was given a standing ovation from the fans for his outstanding display.
Barcelona’s coach Hansi Flick has now led the team to a commanding first-leg advantage. “I think we played very well but we have one more game to go… we always want to play our football and we want to play it there and we will win,” Lewandowski told Movistar after the match.
