It's truly a performance like playing with 12 people.
FC Barcelona thrashed Borussia Dortmund 4-0 in the first leg of the quarterfinals of the 2024-2025 UEFA Champions League held on the 10th at Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys in Barcelona, Spain.
This puts Barcelona in a favorable position where they can advance to the semifinals even if they lose by three goals in the second leg.
Barcelona lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Robert Lewandowski took the forward position, and Raphinha, Fermín López, and Lamine Yamal stood in the attacking midfield. Pedri and Frenkie de Jong filled the midfield, while Alejandro Balde, Iñigo Martínez, Pau Cubarci, and Jules Koundé formed the back line. Wojciech Szczesny guarded the goal.
Dortmund also lined up in a 4-2-3-1 formation. Serou Guirassy was looking to score alone, while Karim Adeyemi, Julian Brandt, and Jamie Bynoe-Gittens stood in the attacking midfield. Kani Chukwuemeka and Felix Nmecha protected the back four, with Ramy Bensebaini, Waldemar Anton, Emre Can, and Julian Ryerson making up the back line. The gloves were worn by goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
The opening goal was Barcelona's. In the 25th minute of the first half, Cubarci headed the ball down for Raphinha to push into the net in front of the goal, boosting Barcelona's momentum. Dortmund, led by Guirassy, attempted to retaliate but missed crucial chances to finish the first half.
The second half completely belonged to Barcelona. In the 3rd minute of the second half, Lewandowski scored another goal, receiving a header pass from Raphinha, and in the 21st minute, he completed a multi-goal performance with a right-footed shot during a counterattack.
The key to the match was the wing attack composed of Raphinha and Yamal. In the 32nd minute of the second half, Yamal received a pass from Raphinha, evaded the opponent's defense, and found the back of the net with his left foot. It was a decisive goal that shattered Dortmund with a calm finish.
The match concluded with Barcelona's 4-0 overwhelming victory.
After the match, Spain's 'El Partidazo de COPE' noted, "The Barcelona players ran an impressive 15 kilometers more compared to Real Madrid, who suffered a 0-3 defeat against Arsenal in their previous match."
The media remarked, "Barcelona not only outpaced Real Madrid but also ran 2.5 kilometers more compared to Arsenal players," expressing astonishment.
Meanwhile, with this victory, Barcelona is on the verge of reaching the semifinals for the first time since the 2018-2019 season, and they are also increasing their chances of a treble following their lead in La Liga and entry into the Copa del Rey final.
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