Catalan Giants Overpower German Visitors in Commanding First-Leg Display
Barcelona gave Dortmund a humiliating defeat in the first leg of the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals, securing a dominant 4-0 victory on Wednesday night.
Raphinha kicked things off by breaking the deadlock in the first half, and Lamine Yamal capped off the evening with a clinical finish, all but sealing the team’s place in the semi-finals.
He tested Dortmund’s keeper Gregor Kobel early on, but later missed an opportunity from a tight angle when he should have squared the ball to Lewandowski. The Polish striker made sure to stay involved, and after Raphinha set him up, he was denied again by another strong save.
It felt inevitable that Barcelona would go ahead, and they found the breakthrough despite a risky moment involving Raphinha. Inigo Martinez headed the ball down to Pau Cubarsi, who tapped it home for his first UEFA Champions League goal. Raphinha rushed in to ensure the ball crossed the line, but there was a nervous moment as VAR checked for offside. Thankfully, the goal was upheld.
While Dortmund managed to push forward a few times during the first half, they couldn’t get past Wojciech Szczesny. Serhou Guirassy struggled to find his footing in front of the goal, leading to a quiet second half for the German side.
Just three minutes after the break, Lewandowski finally got on the scoresheet.
Yamal played a clever diagonal ball to Raphinha, who headed it back across the goal for Lewandowski to finish from close range. After a few missed chances, Fermin Lopez sparked a counterattack, linking up with Yamal before setting up Lewandowski for another fine finish.
Dortmund’s backline stumbled as the match neared its end, giving Lewandowski a chance to take advantage of their confusion. He sent the ball to Raphinha, who spotted Yamal. The young player capped off the evening by putting the ball in the net with precision, sealing a big win for Barcelona.
