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“Having a hard time building up any enthusiasm for either of these ties,” says Joe Pearson. “Sure, this Barcelona team isn’t Messi and Suarez, but this Dortmund team isn’t 2019 Liverpool, either. I just don’t see a dramatic turnaround here. And in the other match, this PSG team are not the bottlers of prior years. Might have to take a nap (I’m retired after all) instead. No offence.”
I’m with you. I think there’s an outside chance of a mad night at Villa Park, but I expect Barcelona and PSG to reach the final, never mind the semis.
The head-to-head
It’s quite surprising, given the status of both clubs, that this is the first time they’ve met in the knockout stages of a European competition. These are their meetings to date:
- 1997-98: Uefa Super Cup
- Barcelona 2-0 Dortmund
- Dortmund 1-1 Barcelona
- 2019-20: Champions League group stage
- Dortmund 0-0 Barcelona
- Barcelona 3-1 Dortmund
- 2024-25: League stage
- Dortmund 2-3 Barcelona
- 2024-25: Quarter-final
- Barcelona 4-0 Dortmund
There are four changes from the Barcelona side that won against Levante on Saturday. Gerard Martin, Pau Cubarsi, Frenkie de Jong and Gavi come in for Alejandro Balde, who is injured, Eric Garcia, Inigo Martinez and Pedri.
Borussia Dortmund make four changes from their 2-2 draw with Bayern Munich at the weekend.
In Yan Couto, Ramy Bensebaini, Felix Nmecha, Karim Adeyemi.
Out Emre Can, Julian Brandt, Julian Ryerson, Salih Ozcan.
Tonight’s other Champions League could be a cracker: Aston Villa v Paris Saint-Germain (1-3 agg). Scott Murray is covering that.
Borussia Dortmund Yan Couto, Bensebaini, Guirassy, Beier, Adeyemi.
Barcelona Martinez.
Borussia Dortmund (3-4-2-1) Kobel; Sule, Anton, Bensebaini, Yan Couto, Gross, Nmecha, Svensson; Beier, Adeyemi; Guirassy.
Substitutes: Meyer, Laurenz Lotka, Ozcan, Reyna, Brandt, Duranville, Ryerson, Watjen, Mane, Kabar, Bynoe-Gittens.
Barcelona (4-2-3-1) Szczesny; Kounde, Araujo, Cubarsi, Gerard; de Jong, Gavi; Yamal, Lopez, Raphinha; Lewandowski.
Subs: Pena, Kochen, Martinez, Torres, Gonzalez, Fati, Torre, Christensen, Victor, Olmo, Garcia, Fort.
Referee: Maurizio Mariani (Italy)
Hello and welcome to live coverage of Borussia Dortmund v Barcelona in the Champions League. Look, I’m not sure how to break this to you, but there might not be much to see here. Barcelona lead 4-0 after a blistering first leg performance and are almost certain to reach their first Champions League semi-final since 2019.
That’s where the but comes in. The 2019 semi-final six years ago was a reminder of football’s vicissitudes: Barcelona went to Anfield for the second leg armed with Lionel Messi, Luis Suarez and a 3-0 lead. You know the rest. Even so, if Dortmund go through tonight, it’ll be one of the most astonishing turnarounds in football history.
Kick off 8pm BST.
