Barcelona have secured their place in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals for the first time since 2019, progressing past Borussia Dortmund with a 5-3 aggregate victory. Despite suffering a 3-1 defeat in the second leg at Signal Iduna Park, the Blaugrana’s dominant 4-0 performance in the first leg at home proved decisive.

Borussia Dortmund came out with purpose in front of their home fans and were sparked to life by Serhou Guirassy, who delivered a stunning hat-trick. The Guinean striker opened the scoring with a penalty in the 11th minute, headed in a second shortly after the break, and added a third to his tally by capitalizing on a defensive lapse in the 76th minute. His treble took him to 13 goals in this season’s Champions League, making him the tournament’s leading scorer.

However, Barcelona were able to ease the pressure midway through the second half when Fermin Lopez’s low cross was deflected into the net by Dortmund’s Ramy Bensebaini, scoring a crucial away goal. That goal effectively deflated the hosts’ momentum and gave the Catalans the breathing space they needed to see out the tie.

The result marked Barcelona’s first loss in any competition in 2025, ending a 24-game unbeaten run. Yet, the damage had already been done in the first leg where Hansi Flick’s side dismantled Dortmund and laid the foundation for their semi-final return.

Speaking after the match, Barcelona manager Hansi Flick praised his players’ mentality. “We knew Dortmund would come at us with everything tonight. But the effort we put in during the first leg allowed us to absorb the pressure. We’re delighted to be in the semi-finals again.”

Barcelona now await the winner of the tie between Inter Milan and Bayern Munich, with Inter currently holding a 2-1 advantage going into the second leg at San Siro. The semi-final promises to be another test of Barcelona’s European credentials as they continue their quest for a sixth Champions League title.

The victory signifies a significant step forward for Barcelona, who have spent the past few seasons rebuilding and battling through financial and sporting challenges. Their place in the last four is a testament to the renewed belief and ambition under Flick’s leadership, as well as the emergence of young talents alongside seasoned campaigners.