Barcelona survive Dortmund scare to book semi-final spot

 Borussia Dortmund produced a spirited performance in the second leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final clash against Barcelona, but Serhou Guirassy’s sensational hat-trick wasn’t enough to overturn a heavy first-leg deficit.

Despite a 3-1 win on the night, Dortmund bowed out 5-3 on aggregate, as Barcelona booked their place in the semi-finals for the first time since 2019.

The match sparked into life early on when Guirassy calmly converted a cheeky ‘Panenka’ penalty in the 11th minute, after Barcelona goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny brought down Pascal Gross in the box.

The early breakthrough ignited belief in the home crowd, and Dortmund pressed forward with intensity and determination.

The second half started in similar fashion, with Guirassy heading home from close range in the 49th minute to cut the overall deficit to two goals.

However, Dortmund’s momentum suffered a major setback just five minutes later when defender Ramy Bensebaini accidentally deflected Fermin Lopez’s low cross into his own net, restoring Barcelona’s three-goal cushion.

Undeterred, Dortmund continued to push. Guirassy completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute, firing a poor clearance into the roof of the net and taking his Champions League tally to 13 goals this season.

Substitute Julian Brandt appeared to have added a fourth soon after, but his effort was ruled out for offside.

Pascal Gross, returning from suspension, orchestrated much of Dortmund’s attacking play. Karim Adeyemi and Bensebaini also forced Szczesny into key saves before halftime. Ultimately, missed opportunities and a disallowed goal denied Dortmund a famous comeback.

Barcelona, who famously overturned a 4-0 first-leg deficit against PSG in 2017, narrowly avoided suffering a similar fate this time. They will now face either Inter Milan or Bayern Munich in the semi-finals, with Inter holding a 2-1 lead ahead of their second leg.

Dortmund head coach Niko Kovac had previously described the challenge as needing "a miracle." Though the miracle didn’t come, his side’s tenacious display was a rare bright spot in an otherwise inconsistent season.

Currently eighth in the Bundesliga, Dortmund remain in contention for a top-four finish and European qualification.

Meanwhile, Barcelona continue their pursuit of a historic treble. They sit four points clear atop La Liga and are set to face arch-rivals Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final later this month.

Speaking after the match, Barcelona forward Robert Lewandowski said:

“On one hand, we’re happy to be in the semi-finals, but looking back at today’s game, we know it wasn’t a perfect performance. Still, there are positives to take, and we’ll learn from this. In the Champions League, you have to be 100 percent ready at all times. That said, it’s done — we’re in the semis, and we’re excited for what’s next.”