Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: Serhou Guirassy’s hat-trick in a 3-1 victory was not enough for Borussia Dortmund to prevent Barcelona FC from progressing to the semi-finals of the Champions League for the first time since 2019. Having already taken the lead through an early penalty, they went 2-0 up just after the break before Barça pulled one back courtesy of an own goal.
Dortmund then scored again, setting up a nervy finish for the Catalans, but they held on against the persistent home side and could ultimately celebrate a 5-3 win on aggregate and a place in the Champions League semifinals for the first time after half a decade of disappointments.
Dortmund began in the fashion of a team determined to rewrite the record books. Guirassy, Maximilian Beier and Daniel Svensson all tested visiting goalkeeper Wojciech Szczesny in the space of two minutes early on, with Karim Adeyemi almost teeing up the lively Guirassy with a close-range finish soon afterwards.
The Guinea international striker was afforded the opportunity to give his team the lead from the spot after Pascal Gross’ run was impeded by Szczesny, with the Dortmund forward beating the former Polish international from the spot with a delightful lofted Panenka penalty down the centre.
The Blaugrana keeper was perfectly positioned to claim Ramy Bensebaini and Beier headers, as well as repelling a crisp Adeyemi strike as the Bundesliga outfit maintained their attacking intensity in a strong first-half showing, UEFA reports.
The interval did not disrupt BVB’s attacking rhythm, with Adeyemi and Gross forcing Szczesny into action barely two minutes after the restart.
Hopes of a famous comeback ramped up just seconds later when the determined Bensebaini applied a towering header at the far post to direct Svensson’s deep, inswinging corner back into the middle, with Guirassy in the right spot to nod in from close range.
Dortmund were applying pressure to the Barcelona back line and moved to within two goals on aggregate once again when Guirassy powered into the roof of the net to claim the match ball with a piece of innate forward play when a Ronald Araújo clearance fell at the feet of the attacker.
Despite the lift of Guirassy completing his treble, Dortmund were unable to fashion further opportunities to add their name to the list of notable Champions League comebacks.
