Barcelona vs Dortmund Review
Robert Lewandowski’s two goals propelled Barcelona to a dominant 4-0 victory over his former team, Dortmund, in the first leg of the Champions League quarter-finals at the Estadi Olímpic Lluis Companys. This win extended Barcelona’s unbeaten streak to 23 matches across all competitions (19 wins and 4 draws). Hansi Flick’s squad started the match with confidence, creating early opportunities for Lamine Yamal and Lewandowski. Raphinha, the top scorer in this season’s UCL, opened the scoring by sliding the ball into the net at the far post, although he was nearly offside when he made the close-range finish.
Dortmund’s reaction was positive, as Carney Chukwuemeka had a shot blocked by Cubarsí, and Serhou Guirassy sent a shot into the side netting as halftime approached. After the break, Niko Kovač’s team aimed to take control, but Jamie Gittens missed the target with his attempt. However, it was former Dortmund player Lewandowski who soon stole the spotlight. Raphinha played a key role again, heading Yamal’s initial cross to Lewandowski, who scored from close range.
This marked the 36-year-old’s 28th goal in 28 matches against his old club. Fermín López had a chance to make it three but shot wide after some poor defending from Dortmund. Soon after, Lewandowski scored again in a swift Barcelona counterattack, receiving a perfect pass from Fermín and finishing with a precise strike past Gregor Kobel. There was still time for Flick’s team to add more goals, with Raphinha assisting Yamal, who finished brilliantly.
Lewandowski has made history as the first player in UEFA Champions League history to score 10 goals in a single season while playing for three different clubs: Dortmund, Bayern Munich, and Barcelona. On the other hand, Dortmund is still seeking their first win against Barcelona after six matches (with two draws and four losses), and unless something extraordinary happens, they are likely to be eliminated from the tournament next week.
