Five-time European champions Barcelona are back in the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2019, holding off a resurgent Borussia Dortmund to win 5-3 on aggregate, despite a 3-1 defeat in the second leg on Tuesday.
Dortmund striker Serhou Guirassy delivered a sensational hat-trick to hand Barça their first defeat of 2025 across all competitions. However, it wasn’t enough to overturn the four-goal deficit from the first leg.
Barcelona will now face either Inter Milan or Bayern Munich in the semi-finals, with their tie set to be decided on Wednesday.
“It wasn’t our best day. I had a feeling this could happen ,this stadium has that effect,” said Barcelona coach Hansi Flick after the match. “But credit to Dortmund, they played really well. Still, I’m proud of my team we’re in the semi-finals and that’s what matters most.”
Dortmund came out with intent, clearly motivated after a frustrating first-leg performance. They dominated the opening stages and were rewarded in the 11th minute when Guirassy converted a chipped penalty after relentless early pressure.
Barcelona, previously unbeaten in 2025, struggled to find rhythm early on but slowly began to settle. Jules Koundé had a prime opportunity to equalize before halftime but fluffed his finish.
The hosts resumed the second half with renewed intensity, and in the 49th minute, Guirassy struck again and this time heading in from close range after a smart flick-on from Ramy Bensebaini. The comeback suddenly felt possible.
But Bensebaini’s own goal just five minutes later, under pressure from Robert Lewandowski, effectively ended Dortmund’s hopes of an improbable turnaround. Fermin López nearly added another for Barcelona shortly after, but failed to hit the target.
Guirassy completed his hat-trick in the 76th minute, capitalizing on a defensive error to score his 13th goal of the campaign,a Champions League record for a Dortmund player.
Despite a brave display and the vocal backing of their home crowd, Dortmund ran out of energy and time. The German side, who have struggled for consistency in the Bundesliga, will now turn their attention to securing a spot in next season’s competition.
“We played with more courage and supported each other better,” said Dortmund midfielder Pascal Gross. “It’s just a shame we didn’t perform like this in the first leg. It could have been a different story.”
Barcelona, though rattled, march on—one step closer to another European crown.
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