Barcelona sneak through after Serhou Guirassy’s treble gives Dortmund hope | Champions League

Ultimately, it was snug sufficient for Barcelona, regardless of Serhou Guirassy’s hat-trick. They have been unable to carry the ball and command by way of possession as they could have favored however they at all times had clear water. There have been spells, although, once they have been distinctly uneasy and, however for an personal objective that got here at simply the fitting time for them, this might need been a really awkward night.

“I had a sense one thing like that may occur at this time as a result of I do know the stadium properly,” stated the Barça supervisor, Hansi Flick, as soon as of Bayern. “Issues didn’t go too properly for us, however Dortmund performed very properly. The issues we performed out weren’t what we usually do.” It was a tie, although, that raised doubts about Barcelona as potential champions. There’s a lot to admire about Flick’s Spanish league leaders however theirs is a high-risk recreation and extra exact opponents than Dortmund might need uncovered them.

Barcelona’s 4-0 dwelling win final week had in impact settled the tie. The consequence was that the buildup was notably convivial. As blue and garnet mingled with yellow and black exterior the assorted pizzerias and pubs on a moist spring afternoon within the Alter Markt, there was a disorienting sense of wandering by way of the idealised world of an advert.

If there was jeopardy for Barcelona it was solely in conceding early – which they did. Twice prior to now eight years they’ve squandered three-goal first-leg leads, to Roma and Liverpool. There have been previous traumas there for Dortmund to awake earlier than the fury of the Yellow Wall. The 4-3-3 of final week was gone and its place Niko Kovac most well-liked a 3-4-2-1. The additional our bodies within the center allowed them to stress Barcelona rather more shortly and better up the pitch than per week in the past, and Flick’s aspect didn’t reply properly.

The tempo of Karim Adeyemi in an inside-left place induced issues and had created a few half-chances even earlier than he laid in Pascal Gross, who was tripped by Wojciech Szczesny for a ninth-minute penalty. Guirassy transformed. At that time, Barça have been unexpectedly ragged, rattled by Dortmund’s depth and an more and more raucous environment. The house aspect had 5 efforts on track throughout the opening 20 minutes. Flick’s resolution to relaxation Pedri, the participant who above all might maybe supply management of possession, started to look an unwise gamble; by the point he got here on after 59 minutes, the hectic tone had been set.

The hazard for Dortmund, and the hope for Barça, was that the house aspect would blow themselves out and, after Maximilian Beier had headed a Gross free-kick straight at Szczesny on the half hour, that was what occurred. With out ever wanting solely assured, Barca appeared to have a measure of management by half-time.

However the second half started with one other Dortmund surge and a objective inside 4 minutes, Guirassy heading his second from shut vary. Dortmund had hope however inside 5 minutes it was gone, Fermin López’s cross thumped into his personal internet by Ramy Bensebaini. With that, a few of the hearth went out of Dortmund, at the least till superb work from the substitute Julien Duranville led to Guirassy sweeping in his third with 14 minutes remaining. When Julian Brandt had the ball within the internet three minutes later, Barca’s temperament may actually have been examined, however he was dominated offside.

Dortmund by no means fairly seemed like turning the tie, however they uncovered flaws of their opponents. Though it tended to be misplaced within the 4-0 scoreline, Dortmund had additionally created probabilities final week: 13 of them, to go together with 18 on Tuesday, which is a significant downside for Barça. Like all Flick sides, they play with a particularly excessive line and meaning they’re susceptible; their urgent solely has to go fractionally awry for them to be extraordinarily open, significantly to fast direct runners.

That’s why they’ve conceded 4 this season in video games in opposition to Osasuna, Benfica and Atlético. Two of these examples have come within the 24-match unbeaten run going again to the start of the 12 months on which they got here into this recreation, which says a lot for the efficiency of their ahead line – however that might not be sufficient. “There are issues we have to appropriate,” stated the defender Ronald Araújo, “however we’re within the semi-finals. I’m glad as a result of at one other time, this recreation would have slipped away from us.”

Whether or not Inter or Bayern come by way of Wednesday’s quarter-final, they’ll take a look at the best way Barça struggled to cope with the press and the swathes of area behind their line of defense, and see alternative.