No courage, no conviction: a booting Borussia Dortmund was lost in the quarter-final first leg of the Champions League at FC Barcelona. The dream of the semi-finals should be cleared after 0: 4 (0: 1).
Two victories in a row – the BVB had traveled to Spain with a broad breast after the latest achievements. But it was clear: FC Barcelona went into this duel with its massive offensive power as a clear favorite.
Trainer Niko Kovac decided in the old Olympic Stadium on the Montjuic for a 4-2-3-1 with the only tip Serhou Guirassy. Felix Nmecha returned to the team, in midfield Carney Chukwuemeka gave his starting eleven debut in the premier class.
Barcelona dominates the initial phase
The sound in the game quickly stated Barcelona. The Catalans generated the same amount of possession of the ball in midfield and – much more important – quickly breaks through the external positions. After less than five minutes, Lamine Yamal had a first good chance of closing, Emre Can had to save on the goal line.
Less than two minutes later, Yamal Dortmund duped regrettable Ramy Bensebaini at the beginning, went through on the right and narrowed only from an acute angle. And then the veteran also had his first strong scene: Robert Lewandowski failed with a direct acceptance from 13 meters on the well -reacting Gregor Kobel in the Borussia goal. There were just six minutes.
BVB heavily under pressure
Hansi Flick’s team had made it clear in which direction the match should go that evening. And the BVB was very busy to somehow defend its skin. Nico Kovac had announced that the barcelona, which is susceptible in the defense, with balls behind the chain behind the chain – the black and yellow did not even come into these areas.
“Relief” was the name of the magic word – but BVB came to just a single attack in the course of the first half hour – Julian Brandt had ran off to the right (15th). The rest was defensive work – but the Kovac team did passionately, disciplined and successful.
1: 0 – Barca meets Standard
Until the 25th minute. Then Fermin slapped a free kick from the right half field to the second post, where Inigo Martinez laid the ball with head and Cubarsi brought the ball past the ball with the tip of the foot. Traffically, Raphinha still stumbled into the scene and gave the ball over the line the last thrust. The Brazilian was thus able to celebrate as a scorer to 1-0 (25th).
The leadership for Barcelona was logical, but the BVB reacted. Suddenly the black and yellow also developed game shares. And they had a big chance in the 35th minute to equalize. After a deep ball win, Chukwuemeka played a deep ball on the completely bare -standing Serhou Guirassy – but the Guineer came past the ball eleven meters in front of the goal.
Dortmund works in the match
Five minutes later, Jamie Gitten failed with a shot from 16 meters to Barca keeper Wojciech Szceesny. And in the 45th minute, Guirassy sailed past a half -high cross from Karim Adeyemi. BVB had worked really well into the game after the difficult initial phase.
FC Barcelona had shown itself defensively in the final phase of the first half – but showed its tremendous offensive strength for the second half after the kick -off. After a long flight ball on the left side of Raphinha, he put the ball perfectly across Lewandowski, who had no trouble to head to 2-0 (47.).
BVB Zaudert – Lewandowski increases to 3: 0
This hit left effect on BVB – somehow the piece of confidence that you got at the end of the first section was completely gone. Barcelona now dominated at will. In the 63rd minute, Fermin failed with a shot on the outer post, Lewandowski made it better three minutes later: from full run of the poles, the ball after Fermin’s cross pass from twelve meters into the goal.
Convention and consequence in the actions would now have been necessary – but the BVB was no longer able. The 4: 0: Julian Brandt played a back pass that was much too short from his own third of the attack and Lewandowski intervened. Seconds later, the ball landed at Yamal, which loosely shot down to 4: 0 (77th).
Next top game in the Bundesliga
In the end, the result was also earned in height – 15 good minutes before the half -time break was simply too little that evening to be able to survive in Barcelona. Not even the honor goal wanted to succeed. The substitute Maxi Beier hit the Barca goal in the 88th minute – but the goal could not be recognized due to offside.
The black and yellow does not have much time to whine. Before next week Tuesday (April 15th, 2025) will come to the second leg against Barcelona in Dortmund, the duel at Bayern is coming up in the Bundesliga on Saturday. After the bankruptcy in the Champions League, the national league for BVB should now become all the more important.