The fortress has fallen after three years – Borussia Dortmund suffered its first Champions League home defeat since November 2021 against the ball artists of FC Barcelona despite a great fight. With fresh blood and two goals from Serhou Guirassy, BVB defied the world club in the top game, but they still lost 2:3 (0:0) and have to worry about direct qualification for the round of 16 again.
The game in an electric atmosphere was fast and technically demanding, but not a spectacle for 45 minutes. That should change dramatically. The guests trained by former national coach Hansi Flick had the better opportunities. BVB held out with passion, discipline and lots of deep passes in front of 81,365 spectators, but the Westphalians could no longer find an answer to Ferran Torres’ second goal (85th).
The Catalans’ first lead through Raphinha (53′) didn’t last long in the much more exciting second half, as Guirassy remained ice cold from the penalty spot (60′). The striker was himself fouled by Pau Cubarsi. Torres (75th) gave BVB the next push – Guirassy countered again after a goalkeeper error and hit the empty goal (78th).
Dortmund wanted to prove once again that they are a completely different team at home in the Champions League than in the Bundesliga away: a power. Coach Nuri Sahin surprised with his young, attacking line-up. Jamie Gittens (20), now indispensable, but also Gio Reyna (22) and Julien Duranville (18), otherwise at best assistants, played Guirassy behind the front. Both were in the starting lineup for the first time this season.
Guirassy’s double pack isn’t enough for BVB in the end
Because Niklas Süle and Waldemar Anton were missing with injuries, captain Emre Can was brought back into the team as the last central defender of quality alongside Nico Schlotterbeck. Barcelona, who were also very young and sent very high pressure by Flick, started furiously: Balde, Raphinha and Lamine Yamal shook Dortmund’s chains mightily, but none of them took advantage of their big chances in the first quarter of an hour.
The desired space arose for BVB as soon as the first line of pressing was overcome. On the right, Duranville used his “brutal pace” (Sahin) several times and then moved into the middle, where Marcel Sabitzer should have scored from five meters (17th).
BVB got into the game better because they defended better: Felix Nmecha in particular stood out on the six with a lot of opening moves. As in the past few weeks in the Spanish league, Barcelona’s vulnerability was evident – even if Guirassy was offside when he had a chance to head the ball (40th) and later when it was supposed to be 1-0 (50th). Stay calm, Flick said.
Sahin repeatedly applauded his team, but he had to replace the injured right-back Julian Ryerson with Yan Couto at half-time. The BVB coach had previously described the ever-increasing stress as “hardly bearable”, which the fans also took up on a banner.
But the Dortmund team showed no trace of resignation. At the back they kept former BVB top star Robert Lewandowski well in check until he was substituted (70th), at the front they quickly and successfully pushed for the equalizer after the 0-1 lead. Dani Olmo had sent Raphinha straight, who was unstoppable.
The game was now unleashed. BVB achieved its goal of teasing and not getting caught up in the opponent’s endless ball relays. Even after the 1:2 he reared up again, the fans even wanted to shout their team to victory. Instead it was 2:3.