Key events
Jonathan Wilson was in Dortmund for us tonight. I’ll leave you with his report.
That was Barcelona’s first defeat in 25 games
Full time: Dortmund 3-1 Barcelona (agg: 3-5)
Barcelona are into the Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2019. They were given a scare by a terrific Dortmund side, with Serhou Guirassy scoring a hat-trick, but Ramy Bensebaini’s own goal gave them enough breathing space. As well as Dortmund played, they were always at least two goals from levelling the aggregate score.
90+3 min One last corner for Dortmund after good play from Duranville and Brandt. It’s taken short to Brandt, whose overhit cross goes behind.
90+1 min “Nine goals in total tonight, 17 counting both legs,” says Giovanni Cafagna. “So much for boring ties.”
90 min Four minutes of added time.
88 min Time is running out for Dortmund, but they will at least go out with honour after winning a game against Barcelona for the first time. It would have been so easy to throw the towel in even before kick-off.
87 min European hat-tricks against Barcelona. I forgot Tony Kurbos!
86 min: Barcelona substitution Dani Olmo replaces Robert Lewandowki, who broke the habit of a lifetime by not scoring against his old club.
86 min Gross finds Gittens, who wins a corner for Dortmund. It’s taken quickly and headed away by Cubarsi.
85 min A long cross from the right reaches Svensson, whose volley is blocked at source by Kounde. Dortmund have been terrific since the third goal.
83 min “As a Stuttgart fan, watching Guirassy blossom was one of the sweetest storylines of last season, which was great overall,” writes Kári Tulinius. “I’ll admit that I was miffed to see him go to Dortmund, but seeing him score a hat-trick against Barcelona is lovely to see. A glorious striker, which is a disappearing breed in the modern game.”
82 min Kounde’s cross is volleyed just wide by Garcia. I’m not sure how much he knew about it but it almost went in.
81 min Serhou Guirassy has joined an elite club of players who have scored European hat-tricks against Barcelona: Tino Asprilla, Andriy Shevchenko and Kylian Mbappe are the only ones I can recall, though I’m sure there are a few more.
79 min: Dortmund substitution Jamie Gittens is on for Adeyemi.
78 min: Disallowed goal for Dortmund! Brandt’s first action is to run past Barcelona’s high line and drill the ball across Szczesny. Alas he went too soon and the goal is ruled out for offside.
78 min: Dortmund substitution Julian Brandt is on for Yan Couto.
77 min There was a VAR check to see whether ball was out of play before Duranville got the cross in, but the check is complete and Dortmund have fresh hope.
GOAL! Dortmund 3-1 Barcelona (agg: 3-5; Guirassy 76)
A hat-trick for Serhou Guirassy! The teenage substitute Duranville did brilliantly down the right to make space and put in a dangerous cross. Ronald Araujo tried to clear but gave it straight to Guirassy, who swept it high into the net with his left foot. Wretched defending but a fine finish.
73 min A long pass is beautifully controlled by Raphinha, who cuts inside and hits a low shot from the edge of the area that is held to his left by Kobel. Raphinha didn’t get hold of it.
72 min Even the home crowd are relatively quiet now. There seems to be a general acceptance that this is over.
70 min: Double substitution for Barcelona Eric Garcia and Ferran Torres replace Fermin Lopez and Lamine Yamal, who had a quiet night.
69 min Dortmund haven’t been the same since going 2-0 up. It’s probably just tiredness, but maybe there was an element of the miracle becoming real, with all the psychological complexity that entails.
67 min Much as I enjoy your company, you really need to join Scott Murray at your earliest convenience.
65 min: Double substitution for Dortmund Gio Reyna and Julien Duranville replace Beier and Nmecha.
64 min: Chance for Barcelona Gerard Martin plays a sharp square ball across the face of the area. Raphinha dummies it superbly and Fermin Lopez shoots over. That was an excellent chance.
61 min The mood has changed and for the first time all night it feels like Barcelona are in control.
59 min Nmecha pushes a pass out to Beier, who screws wide of the near post from a tight angle. Not a bad chance, that.
59 min: Barcelona substitution Pedro on, Gavi off.
58 min Barcelona have responded admirably to that second goal; in fact they’re having their best spell of the whole match. Frenkie de Jong has been really good in midfield.
57 min This tie is (probably) over. The one at Villa Park, not so much. Scott Murray has the latest from what sounds like a pulsating game.
56 min Nmecha is booked for a foul on Gavi.
Fermin Lopez ran into space down the right and hammered a dangerous low cross towards Lewandowski. Bensebaini, at the near post, couldn’t sort his feet and bulleted it past Kobel.
GOAL! Dortmund 2-1 Barcelona (agg: 2-5; Bensebaini og 54)
That could be a killer blow.
52 min Yamal’s long shot deflects behind for a corner. It’s swung deep, headed down and claimed by Kobel.
A wicked inswinging corner from Svensson on the right was headed back across goal by Bensebaini and nodded in from a couple of yards by Guirassy. He’s on a hat-trick and Dortmund are dreaming of immortality.
GOAL! Dortmund 2-0 Barcelona (agg: 2-4; Guirassy 49)
Hello!
48 min: Double save by Szczesny! Adeyemi scores past Kounde and drives a low shot that Szczesny saves really well with his left foot. The loose ball is touched off to Gross, whose shot is pushed way to his left by Szczesny.
47 min “Please!” is the subject of Matt Dony’s email. “Quickfire double shortly after the restart, followed by a moment of genius at a corner? Anyone? I mean, objectively, could there be anything funnier than seeing it happen to Barcelona again?”
46 min Dortmund begin the second half.
“The true story of an idiot not paying attention,” begins Paul McGrory. “I flicked the match on to have a quick look at the score (sound down). 1-0 to Dortmund, and Barcelona had a player sent off – the little red card beside the BAR on the TV. This is on! Watched for 10 minutes. Looked at the score again, and noticed Dortmund had a player booked – little yellow card beside the DOR. Thought ‘Isn’t it weird that Dortmund play in yellow and had a player booked, and Barcelona have some red in their kit, and they’ve had a man sent off. What a coincidence.’ Then I worked it out. Then I realised that I’ve lived longer than I have left, and that’s probably a good thing.”
The xG according to TNT Sports
Borussia Dortmund 2.05-0.02 Barcelona
GOAL! Dortmund 1-0 Barcelona (agg: 1-4)
There’s still a bit of life in this tie. Dortmund lead through an early Panenka from Serhou Guirassy, and on the balance of play they should be at least 2-0 up. Barcelona will almost certainly still go through, but it’s not a done deal.
45 min Two minutes of added time.
43 min Beier beats the offside trap, running down the right onto a good pass from Guirassy. He moves into the area and slides a pass that is well cut out, I think by Araujo. That was a real chance for Dortmund.
40 min “Villa are being shown their place by the imperious PSG in the other match,” says Krishnamoorthy V. “The best thing that had happened to PSG is the departure of Mbappe.”
It’ll be such a great story if they win with a team of anti-galacticos. I thought they were magnificent in the first leg against Villa and both games against Liverpool.
39 min: Chance for Barcelona! The unmarked Kounde, still up following a corner, miscontrols a lovely cross from the left, which allows Kobel to drive bravely at his feet.
Good save by Szczesny!
37 min Adeyemi speeds onto a lofted pass in the inside-left channel. Kounde gets back to challenge but Adeyemi rifles a left-footed drive that is well blocked at the near post by Szczesny. He struck it really well, though maybe a cross was the better option.
Says Kevin De Bruyne over here.
