Barcelona returned to the Champions League for the primary time in six years on Tuesday night time, after a 5-3 mixture win over Borussia Dortmund. The tie was roughly over after an exhilarating 4-0 win within the first leg, however the Blaugrana wobbled at instances on the Sign Iduna Area, with the house facet placing Barcelona below extreme strain.
Ultimately Dortmund would win out on the night time 3-1, however their hopes had been sunk by a Ramy Bensebaini personal purpose within the second half. It was a recreation that ended their 24-game unbeaten run in 2025 although, and the Barcelona gamers appeared lower than delighted on the closing whistle.
“I’m relieved to say we certified. We didn’t play effectively, but it surely’s arduous to elucidate why. Many gamers didn’t carry out effectively,” Frenkie de Jong instructed El Chiringuito, as quoted by MD.
“I feel we all know we are able to play loads higher than we confirmed tonight, and it leaves a bittersweet style within the mouth. I’m certain we’ll be happier tomorrow to be within the semis.”
Ronald Araújo had a really irregular efficiency in Dortmund, and once more left doubts about his match into Flick’s system. @didacpeyret
— barcacentre (@barcacentre) April 16, 2025
In the meantime Robert Lewandowski was extremely crucial of his teammates, telling them this was a lesson.
“We lacked management in midfield, we made a number of errors. We misplaced possession, we gave away passes, we made it simple for the opponent. Immediately’s recreation have to be analysed totally. Now we have to be taught from it. We will’t play like this.”
“If we had been going to lose and make errors, it’s higher that we made them at this stage. Going ahead, there’s no room for these errors. We made it simple for Dortmund to create probabilities and rating. Perhaps that is the wake-up name we wanted. Now we have to be taught from this.” Lewandowski remarked to the identical outlet.
“This match could be a good lesson to all of our younger gamers. The Champions League is the Champions League and also you all the time must be ready… not at 90% or 95%, no. 100%.”
Proper-back Jules Kounde additionally stated the dominant feeling after the sport was disappointment.
“Reaching the semi-finals was an enormous purpose we had in thoughts from the beginning of the season, and we have now to understand that, however to be sincere, I’m upset. We lacked aggression, strain, focus, profitable duels, and chopping off passing lanes…,” he instructed Sport.
“It’s what the coach requested of us, and we did it at instances, however over the 90 minutes we didn’t do sufficient. I’m upset with the sport as a result of I do know the group can do higher.
Central defenders Ronald Araujo and Pau Cubarsi had been somewhat extra optimistic, however supervisor Hansi Flick admitted that he needed to attempt to raise morale within the dressing room. Actually two absences for Barcelona stood out considerably: they’re neither the identical defence nor the identical midfield with out Inigo Martinez and Pedri within the facet, the latter approaching for the ultimate half hour.