Barcelona were beaten 3-1 at Signal Iduna Park on Tuesday with Serhou Guirassy scoring a hat-trick. Nevertheless, Hansi Flick’s men advanced to the semi-finals with a 5-3 aggregate win.
Barcelona will face the winner of Wednesday’s quarter-final second leg clash between Bayern Munich (2.60) and Inter (2.70) in the semi-finals. Inter currently hold a 2-1 lead on aggregate over Bayern and will be at home for the second leg.
Guirassy Has Barcelona Biting its Nails
Barça were expecting a relatively comfortable ride into the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League after Robert Lewandowski scored twice against his former club in a 4-0 first leg win at the Lluís Companys Olympic Stadium.
Hansi Flick still selected a strong starting XI for the second leg, with the likes of Lewandowski and Lamine Yamal starting. It soon became apparent that they would not be able to rest.
Wojciech Szczęsny’s foul on Pascal Groß handed Borussia Dortmund an early penalty. Guirassy stepped up and confidently chipped it home.
Barça fans would have had their hearts in their mouths in the 49th minute when Guirassy pulled yet another goal back. It started with a Daniel Svensson corner, and the Swede picked out Ramy Bensebaini at the far post for a headed flick-on. Guirassy was on hand to nod home. By then, Barça fans were surely getting flashbacks to their 4-0 semi-final second leg defeat to Liverpool in 2019.
Own Goal Hands Barça Reprieve
Five minutes later, Barcelona were handed some relief as Jules Koundé played Fermín López into space on the right flank. His cross into the area diverted off Bensebaini and into the net. Barça had restored their three-goal aggregate advantage and were cruising once again.
Dortmund refused to go quietly. Guirassy completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute, blocking a botched Ronald Araújo clearance and hammering the ball into the net.
The German side had the ball in the net again three minutes later. Julian Brandt got on the end of a ball from Groß and may have thought he had scored, but the offside flag denied him and ensured that Barcelona finished the game with breathing space.
Barcelona Boss Credits Dortmund For Tough Challenge
Hansi Flick acknowledged after the game that Borussia Dortmund had given Barcelona a run for their money. However, he claimed that Barça ultimately progressed deservedly.
“We played two matches. We were clearly superior in the first, and Dortmund responded well in the second,” he said. “They made things difficult for us tonight. The atmosphere was exceptional. But overall, I believe we deserved to advance.”
“We will certainly analyse this match,” he said after the second leg defeat. “There have been many fixtures in recent weeks, and a dip in form can be understandable. Nonetheless, I am proud of what the team has achieved so far. Reaching the semifinals is a significant accomplishment.”
Conclusion: Results Elsewhere and Permutations
Barcelona were not the only UEFA Champions League powerhouse that narrowly avoided a Tuesday night upset. Paris Saint-Germain lost the second leg of their quarter-final tie 3-2 to Aston Villa. However, Luis Enrique’s men progressed to the semi-finals with a 5-4 aggregate win.
PSG will face the winner of the tie between Arsenal (4.20) and Real Madrid (1.85). The Gunners hold a 3-0 advantage ahead of Wednesday’s clash at the Bernabéu after Declan Rice’s heroic brace at the Emirates Stadium.
The semi-finals will also be decided by two-legged ties with no away goals rule applied. There has to be a winner in each semi-final, but the draw market will be available for soccer betting purposes for those looking to bet on the result after 90 minutes. The final will be a single-legged game at the Allianz Arena in Munich on May 31. Barça will hope to take part for the first time since 2015.
