Blitz Bureau
NEW DELHI: FC Barcelona hit top gear and all but ensured its place in the Champions League semifinal with a 4-0 win at home to Borussia Dortmund in their quarterfinal tie on April 9.
Apart from a short period at the end of the first half, Hansi Flick’s side dominated proceedings with the attacking trio of Robert Lewandowski, Lamine Yamal and Raphinha, with Pedri pulling the strings in midfield, tearing their rivals apart.
Barcelona was fast out of the blocks with Yamal cutting inside from the right and seeing a shot saved by Gregor Kobel.
Raphinha then worked his way along the touchline and flashed the ball across the face of goal. The Brazilian turned his side’s positive start into a goal in the 25th minute, sliding in to score from very close range after Pau Cubarsi had turned Inigo Martinez’s header goalwards. The goal needed a VAR check to stand and Raphinha would have looked bad if the goal had been ruled out as Cubarsi’s initial touch was going in.
Another fast attack from Barca moments later saw him send the ball wide after Yamal led a rapid break, before Dortmund began to work its way into the match.
Karim Adeyemi sent over an excellent ball from the left that was just in front of Serhou Guirassy, before Guirassy missed a better chance and Jamie Gittens saw a shot blocked.
Those were expensive misses as Robert Lewandowski doubled Barca’s lead three minutes after the break, heading in from close range after Raphinha had nodded Yamal’s excellent cross across the face of goal.
Barca were back on top with Fermin Lopez – preferred to Gavi in the starting 11 – hitting one shot wide and seeing another blocked by a defender, while Kobel saved from Lewandowski, who then mishit the rebound.
A third goal was coming and Lewandowski scored it with a low finish after Fermin found space down the right to pull the ball back to him following a swift break.
Yamal made it 4-0 in the 76th minute after Raphinha feed him a diagonal pass for the youngster to score with arrogant ease.
The only possibly hiccup on an excellent night was seeing Yamal ask to be taken off 10 minutes from the end, and although he didn’t look seriously injured, Barca fans may be sweating on a diagnosis.
