Barcelona booked their place in the UEFA Champions League semi-finals despite suffering their first defeat of 2025, as a scintillating hat-trick from Serhou Guirassy led Borussia Dortmund to a spirited 3-1 win at Signal Iduna Park.
The result closed the aggregate gap to 5-3, but it wasn’t enough to complete a historic comeback. While the Catalans faltered under pressure, they ultimately survived the storm and held on to their sizeable first-leg advantage from the 4-0 rout at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys.
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Guirassy Ignites Dortmund’s Comeback Dream
With history and odds stacked firmly against them, Dortmund emerged with urgency and belief. Attempting to replicate the kind of miraculous turnaround Barcelona famously pulled off against Paris Saint-Germain in 2017, Niko Kovač’s side wasted no time imposing themselves.
Guirassy was lively from the outset, testing Wojciech Szczęsny alongside teammates Maximilian Beier and Daniel Svensson in a whirlwind start. A penalty, awarded after the Polish keeper clattered into Pascal Gross, gave the Guinean striker his first opportunity. He seized it with audacity, lofting a cheeky Panenka into the centre of the goal and lighting up the stadium.
Further efforts from Adeyemi, Bensebaini, and Beier were denied by Szczęsny, but it was clear that Dortmund were playing with purpose and rhythm. The high-octane pressing, creative intent, and lightning transitions set the tone for a relentless performance.
Second-Half Intensity Rattles Barcelona
Dortmund’s intent didn’t dwindle after the break. Within moments of the restart, Adeyemi and Gross both forced Szczęsny into sharp saves. Then came the second goal. A dangerous corner from Svensson found Bensebaini, whose powerful header across the face of goal allowed Guirassy to nod home his second.
Suddenly, the atmosphere shifted. The thought of an improbable comeback loomed large as the scoreboard read 2-0 on the night, 4-2 on aggregate. But Barcelona responded, albeit fortuitously. Fermín López’s low cross took a wicked deflection off Bensebaini, wrong-footing Gregor Kobel and momentarily deflating the hosts.
Still, Dortmund refused to relent. A misjudged clearance from Ronald Araújo fell kindly for Guirassy, who smashed his third into the roof of the net. With that strike, he became the fourth Dortmund player to score a Champions League hat-trick and the first to do so in a quarter-final since Karim Benzema in 2022. It also marked his 15th goal in 18 appearances in the competition — a remarkable feat eclipsed only by Erling Haaland’s 21 at this stage of his career.
Brave Dortmund Exit with Pride Intact
Despite the momentum and crowd behind them, BVB couldn’t find the two more goals they needed to level the tie. Barcelona, though shaky at times, clung on. The Blaugrana suffered their first loss in 25 matches across all competitions, dating back to a 2-1 setback against Atlético Madrid in December, yet still emerged with their European ambitions alive.
For Dortmund, there was disappointment, but also immense pride in a performance that fell just short of a fairy-tale. Niko Kovač, Dortmund coach: “I think we all saw a great game of football, especially from my team. It was high intensity with a lot of forward pressure. I’m obviously disappointed that we were knocked out, but we inflicted Barcelona’s first defeat in 2025 and that says a lot. We can be very proud of ourselves.”
Gregor Kobel, Borussia Dortmund goalkeeper: “Tonight wasn’t magical in the end, but it was good. We put ourselves in a difficult position in the first leg. Our aim was to get the maximum out of today. We knew that anything is possible against any opponent in this stadium. Mentally, we did everything right, but in the end we weren’t fully rewarded. That’s a great pity.”
Barça Survive, But Questions Remain
Barcelona head coach Hansi Flick acknowledged the challenge posed by Dortmund and expressed relief over progressing despite not being at their best. Hansi Flick, Barcelona coach: “We are in the semi-finals. They have a great team and made life very difficult for us, but we’re through to the next round and that’s what counts. We didn’t play at our best today but that was also down to Dortmund, who did really well. What the team has achieved in recent weeks is phenomenal. We’re now one step further, but we’re still a long way from the end.”
The midfield engine Fermín López echoed the sentiment, highlighting the learning curve from such a taxing encounter. Fermín López, Barcelona midfielder: “Dortmund have a really good team, you saw that today. Last week we made them suffer at our place. Today we suffered here, but in the end we were able to limit the damage. We’re now in the semi-finals and can draw a lot of strength from this game today because it was a big task.”
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FAQs
How did Barcelona qualify for the Champions League semi-finals despite losing to Borussia Dortmund?
Barcelona advanced to the semi-finals with a 5-3 aggregate win, having built a 4-0 advantage in the first leg despite losing 3-1 in the return leg.
Who scored a hat-trick for Borussia Dortmund against Barcelona?
Serhou Guirassy netted all three goals for Dortmund, becoming only the fourth player in club history to score a Champions League hat-trick.
What record did Serhou Guirassy set with his hat-trick?
Guirassy set a new club record with 13 goals in a single Champions League season and became the first player since Karim Benzema (2021/22) to score a hat-trick in a Champions League quarter-final.
When was the last time Barcelona lost before this match?
Barcelona’s 3-1 defeat to Dortmund marked their first loss in 25 matches across all competitions, with the previous defeat coming against Atlético Madrid on 21 December 2024.
What did the coaches say after the match?
Niko Kovač praised his team’s intensity and performance despite the exit, while Hansi Flick acknowledged Dortmund’s quality and expressed pride in Barcelona reaching the semi-finals.
