Dortmund vs Barcelona Review
Barcelona secured a 3-2 victory over Dortmund in the UEFA Champions League thanks to three goals in the second half, maintaining their unbeaten record against the German team with three wins and two draws. Barcelona controlled most of a scoreless first half and had a great opportunity to take the lead in the 15th minute when Lamine Yamal delivered an impressive outside-of-the-boot cross to Raphinha, who unfortunately missed the target. Aside from a poorly aimed shot from Marcel Sabitzer, Dortmund posed little threat, relying on Gregor Kobel to keep the first half scoreless. Kobel made two crucial saves, first stopping Yamal’s shot from the edge of the box and then making a fantastic save against Jules Koundé.
The two teams burst onto the field for the second half, playing in a fast-paced, back-and-forth style. Just five minutes in, Dortmund thought they had scored when Jamie Gittens broke through Barcelona’s defense and set up Serhou Guirassy for an easy tap-in, but the goal was disallowed for offside. This missed opportunity proved costly for the hosts, as Barcelona quickly countered, with Raphinha scoring after receiving a pass from Dani Olmo.
However, Guirassy continued to pose a threat and earned a penalty on the hour mark when he was fouled in the box by the inexperienced Pau Cubarsi. The Guinean striker confidently converted the penalty, prompting Flick to make three substitutions.
Two substitutes helped regain Barcelona’s lead, as Fermín López fired a powerful shot from the edge of the box that was saved by Kobel, but Ferran Torres was there to convert the rebound, marking his third goal in as many games. Guirassy had a chance to equalize right from the start but somehow headed the ball over from close range. He quickly made up for it, however, when Iñaki Peña recklessly rushed out of his box, allowing Pascal Groß to find Guirassy, who calmly slotted the ball in.
Dortmund sought the winning goal but left themselves vulnerable at the back. Barcelona capitalized on this during a counterattack, with Yamal assisting Torres, whose precise finish secured crucial UCL points for Flick’s team. This victory places the Catalans in second place, while Dortmund falls to ninth, just a point behind eighth-place Lille.
