Borussia Dortmund came close to completing a stunning Champions League turnaround but ultimately fell short, despite a dramatic home victory powered by a Serhou Guirassy hat trick.
Barcelona had entered the second leg in complete control after a dominant 4-0 victory at the Olympic Stadium, seemingly securing their passage to the semi-finals for the first time in six years. However, Dortmund refused to go down without a fight, producing a thrilling display at Signal Iduna Park.
The hosts gave themselves hope early in the contest when Guirassy converted a delicate penalty past Wojciech Szczesny following a foul on Pascal Gross. That early strike energized the crowd and gave Dortmund the momentum they needed.
Guirassy added his second just after halftime, heading in from close range after a flick-on from Ramy Bensebaini. But any hopes of a remarkable comeback took a major hit minutes later when Bensebaini turned a low cross into his own net, restoring a three-goal cushion for the Spanish side on aggregate.
Dortmund continued to press and missed several opportunities before Guirassy completed his treble in the 76th minute, pouncing on a defensive mistake to hammer the ball into the roof of the net. Julian Brandt thought he had made it 5-1 on the night when he slotted home late on, only for his goal to be disallowed for offside.
Barcelona return to the last four as treble chase continues
Barcelona held on through a nervy final stretch to claim a place in the semi-finals, avoiding a collapse similar to the one they suffered against Liverpool in 2019. The result also ended a seven-match winless run against Dortmund.
Barcelona now awaits the winner between Inter Milan and Bayern Munich, with the Italian team holding a 2-1 advantage heading into the second leg at the San Siro.
Despite the loss, Dortmund manager Niko Kovac could take heart from his side’s spirited display. With five Bundesliga fixtures remaining, they sit eighth in the table, six points adrift of the top four, and will be hoping their performance against Barcelona can spark a late surge.
Barcelona, meanwhile, remain in contention for a clean sweep of trophies. They currently lead La Liga and are set to face Real Madrid in the Copa del Rey final later this month.
